Insentient
by Lady Fyria
Summary: A new evil is threatening the peace Aang and his friends are fighting for. Too powerful for even Aang to overcome, the Gods send five siblings to the Avatar world to learn the elements and defeat this enemy. Forbidden to travel with the Avatar, a very flawed girl is forced to travel with the very flawed boy she hates to complete her mission. Begins in Book Two. Final version.
1. Semblance

**A/N:** Hello and welcome to Insentient. This is now the third time I've attempted to write this, and it will be the last time I do. I've been trying to write Insentient for four years, and quite frankly, it needs to be finished. This is it. Special thanks to **Thomas Drovin** for sticking with me since the original was published, and to **RedSombrero** for all the help you've given me. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

* * *

**Chapter One - ****Semblance**

_the outward appearance or apparent form of something, esp. when reality is different_

* * *

Every morning was the same.

When I wake up, my eyes were always swollen, trails of dried tears having carved themselves into my cheeks in my sleep. I looked in the mirror with hope as if I expected a different reflection to blink back at me, that the last sixteen years of my life had never happened. But the burn scars never went away. My hair never grew back. My legs never came back. My eyes never were anything but depressed.

So every morning, with my prosthetic legs strapped on, I left the house to go for a run in an attempt to escape my life and leave it miles behind me. I always stopped to watch the sun rise, watching it set the sky ablaze with oranges and pinks. Every morning, I rose with the sun, but it was never a new day.

Today's morning went a little different.

Dawn was only beginning to break past the horizon when I left my room and bumped into my brother. Dark bags hung under his onyx eyes and he did not smile when he saw me, and I didn't let my sadness show. The last few years had been difficult both for him and with him because he had gotten into drugs. "Melanie's in the kitchen," was all Ryan said, brushing past me, skipping steps as he went upstairs. Upon hearing the lock on his bedroom door click into place, I flinched.

Most of the time it was better to pretend there was nothing wrong.

Having recently turned thirteen, Melanie had finally hit another growth spurt. Idly padding around the kitchen, she twirled a lock of her long, wavy ebony hair around her index finger, and her dark eyes inhabited a distant look. I sighed as I realized my older sister Brenna would have to go clothes shopping again; the new orange pajamas Brenna had recently bought for her were already too small.

"Mel," I called softly from the entranceway. A frown of concern flitted its way across my lips when she didn't respond. "Melanie." I voiced a bit louder, touching her shoulder. She jumped violently in response, eyes widening in both surprise and fear, then quickly calming as she recognized me.

"Oh, hey Sasha. Didn't know you were awake. I would have made you something if you were hungry. Ryan was down here earlier invading the pantry again so I made him a sandwich and heated up his chili. I can't believe he's still eating that stuff from five nights ago."

I ignored her attempt at small talk and tried to get her to meet my eyes. "How long have you been up?"

Melanie fisted both hands in her hair, pretending as though she was trying to brush out knots, but the jerky movements gave it away. "Um, well…it's five thirty in the morning, so three hours and forty seven minutes?" She replied uncertainly, struggling to smile. Her body was shaking, more so than usual.

"Melanie," I lowered my tone so she would know I was being serious. "Did you take your medication?"

For a while now, she had been afflicted by chronic insomnia. It kept my family—when we weren't having our own nightmares—up at night when Melanie had her night terrors, waking up (or not) screeching and flailing as if she were in pain. It terrified us. The memory of one of her particularly bad ones came to mind just then, making me tense. The image of Melanie in her bed clouded my eyes, her body twisted and arched painfully, her face scrunched up beyond recognition, screaming so loud…

"I don't like taking the meds," she insisted, snapping me from my agonizing thoughts. "It makes me feel like I'm a crazy person. Besides, the nightmare wasn't so bad this time. I was going to go back to sleep," she glared at me when I narrowed my eyes disbelievingly. "Don't look at me like that! I was, honest! But then I felt hungry, so I came down here and then…" she moved her hands needlessly. "…I guess I got distracted and voila, here I am four hours later."

I didn't understand how she could be so passive about it. "If you'd just take the pills, you wouldn't—"

"I don't want the stupid meds!" She whispered forcefully, arms locked straight at her sides and her hands fisted tightly enough that it looked like it hurt.

I took a few steps back, startled by her sudden outburst. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. How about some tea?"

Her eyes lighted with fury again. "I can take care of myself so stop trying to coddle me! Just leave me alone!" Her hands fisted in her hair and she turned away from me, squeezing her eyes closed.

I approached her, attempting to wrap my arms around her. But the moment my hand touched her back, she thrashed viciously, the back of her hand smacking my face. Shock flooded through me. I tasted copper in my mouth as my tongue throbbed with pain. "I told you to leave me alone! Why won't you listen to me? I hate you!"

Her words stung more than she probably realized. The concept of my siblings hating me had been in my mind for months after one time while I had been glaring at my reflection. My mutilated body, burned from head to toe, was a constant reminder of what we had suffered and somehow endured. And what we wanted to forget.

Blinking back tears, I stared at the tiled floor. "Okay...I'll go away now." I walked to the front door, the curved metal bars that served as feet barely leaving the ground. The moment the door closed behind me, I took off running, seeking escape in the rush of the wind and the burn of my lungs.

Our home was situated in the middle of nowhere, with our closest neighbors a mile away. The road we lived on was normally vacant, frequented only by tractor-trailers and lost vacationers. It made for a very quiet and tranquil scenery to sprint through. After moving from the house I grew up in, we moved in temporarily with my mother's parents who lived in a small town. The problem was that they were very devout Christians, something that drove my mother to run away in the first place. Having lived under the boot of my father for so long, we absolutely did not want the constricted lifestyle. We wanted to do as we pleased for the first time in our lives. So we moved all the way out here, a decision that was perfectly fine with me. The farther away from the human population, the better.

I hadn't even run a mile before I spotted something shining a short distance away, glowing radiantly like a star. Going against the logic of running away from the possibly dangerous object, I slowed my pace until I was standing in front of it, the orb leveled with my head. The little star was pure white, wisps that resembled mist flicked about it. In its opaque surface, I could see a person staring back at me with happy grey eyes, making the same movements I was. She was kind of pretty. Was that my reflection, but without a horrifically scarred face? I gasped in astonishment and reached up to touch my cheek. But the skin there was still ridge-filled and ugly.

I almost burst out in tears as the hope I had felt disappeared just like that and despair took over. My desire to look normal was violently strong, tearing me, on the inside, to pieces. Shrieking like a madwoman, I tried punching the orb, but the wisps shot out, wrapping around my wrist. My eyes wide with fear, I attempted to wrench my wrist away, but it would not let go.

More wisps exploded out, securing themselves around my ankles, waist, other wrist, and my throat. It moved me closer, smaller wisps eagerly stretching out to stroke my hand. I thrashed as hard as I could, but my efforts were utterly futile. I tried screaming, but yet another tendril gagged me. My hand disappeared into the orb and I lost feeling of the appendage. Finally, I gave up on struggling, but tears slipped from my eyes as I watched more of my body be eaten by the orb. I didn't want to die!

I squeezed my eyes shut as I was fully encased in the light.

* * *

Gentle yet cold hands on my shoulders shook me and I opened my eyes. Before me was a mocha skinned girl with hair like snow. The room was huge, constructed from what looked to be white marble. The dome ceiling was high above my head, intricately carved with designs.

Past the girl was a giant more than triple my height, sitting in a high backed throne. The being wore loose white robes that kept me from being able to tell whether or not it was a man or woman. A decorative rope was tied around its waist and the sleeves were just short enough to show the fingertips. A loose hood covered its head and a thin cotton mesh covered the rest of its face obscuring any facial features, even the bump of a nose. Its head was tilted down in my direction, so I knew it was looking at me, but it unnerved me that I couldn't see its face.

"Where am I?"

The girl smiled. "Welcome to the Spirit World Temple, Sasha. This ancient place is home to the gods who you now see before you."

With her words, I became aware of the others present. There were four more giants in their individual thrones, two on either side of me. Each was dressed in red, blue, green, or orange. The styles of their clothing finally triggered something in my brain, and I recognized the girl at last. "You're Yue?"

"That's me," Yue said brightly.

I shook my head disbelievingly, but I had to admit so far this was a cool dream. Although, I'd rather be bending an element and fighting Fire Nation soldiers than whatever this was. The strange thing was that I hadn't watched a single episode of Avatar in a few years and my memory of it was limited, so it was odd that I was suddenly dreaming of it.

"I can see it in your face," Yue said. "You think this is a dream. I guess that was to be expected, but this is _not_ a dream." Something behind me caught her attention and she backed away quickly, moving to stand beside the giant woman in blue. I realized that all five giants were standing, towering over me like skyscrapers.

A powerful gust of air lifted me off the ground and I struggled against it with no success. I screamed, knowing I was powerless to do anything else. The god in green stomped the ground with his foot and chunks of rocks hurled themselves at me. I raised my arms to shield my face, but the rocks stopped not a foot away from me, creating a cocoon.

Through the cracks I could see the woman Yue served move her arms, conjuring water from the air and surrounding me with its liquid coldness. I screamed again, a torrent of bubbles bursting from my mouth and the air that had me lifted up forced its way through the water and into my mouth so I could breathe. Then, the fire god put out both palms, fire erupting from them. Flames licked at the rocks, changing them rapidly, evolving into crystal.

It was quiet again and my eyes flicked among the blurred forms of the people who might as well be about to kill me.

Suddenly, two very pale hands came through the crystal, one touching my heart, the other over my third-eye.

And then the pain began.

* * *

_The only other thing I can register besides that I am cold and hungry, is that the room I am trapped in is dark and the air is damp. A flickering light bulb sways on a thin piece of string. My back is hunched and pressed into a corner. I look down and see bleeding welts like stripes across what is left of my burnt body. I try to move, but it's hard to. The blood is sticky and my hands are bound tightly behind my back. A few minutes pass by and I remember where I am. Trapped in the basement, bleeding and delirious from torture. Dying slowly and painfully but without regret._

_I remind myself again and again that it is better for it to be me to be the one trapped here, not Ryan or Melanie or Aaron. Me. I'm the one who is without a chance of a bright future, who is scarred beyond recognition, who has already lost her legs. The only thing left that I have to lose is my family, and that is why I am where I am. Dying._

_I remind myself of why I am here. Brenna is missing. I know where she is, where she's going, and my father wants to know so he can hunt her down. Hunt her down and kill her. Stop her from wherever she's trying to go. But I won't tell him, and that's why I am here._

_I didn't know where Brenna was at first. Only that she was gone and that my father had dragged me down into the basement to force me into telling him what he wanted to know. I had learned to tell when he was coming to hurt me when the ceiling shook and dust fell from the banisters, so I am alarmed when the basement door had opened without a sound, light flooding into the room. The light made a silhouette of the feminine figure that crept down the stairs. Too tall and curvy to be Melanie, I croak, "Mom?"_

_"No, it's me."_

_I jump at the sound of her voice. "Bren?"_

_I hear her footsteps rush towards me as I sway, the loss of blood making me unsteady and nauseous. I have trouble keeping my head up and my eyes open. I am overwhelmed with the urge to just let sleep take over forever._

_"Oh God Sasha," pain is evident in her voice as she grips my shoulders and I wince. Brenna lets go immediately, but I can't sit straight anymore. I fall into her and she cradles my head to her chest. "What has he done to you?"_

_"He's looking for you," My throat is still raw from screaming and is protesting against saying any more, yet I force myself to continue. "Where…where were you?"_

_"I couldn't take it anymore," she whispers. "I ran all the way to the city. I was going to the police station, I was going to tell them, beg them for help. But I couldn't, Sasha, I was so afraid! I got all the way to the desk and I just ran away. I couldn't do it. I couldn't risk them not believing me or even the cops not being able to stop Seth and we'd all get killed. I couldn't—"_

_"Go b-back."_

_"What—"_

_"Go back to the station. I'm already being beaten for your disappearance and for all he knows you're still missing. Go back and save yourself. Save me. Save us. Please. You have to. You know you do."_

_Brenna's shadowed face emanates worry and concern. "But…" She trails off uncertainly, but then her features harden as she stares at my wounds, old and new. She moves me so that I am braced against the cold brick wall and says to me, "Okay. I'm going to do it."_

_I smile weakly. "Hurry back. I've missed you and your cooking."_

_Her eyes are suddenly reflecting more light and I know she's close to crying. "Be strong little sister. I'll be back soon. Hang in there, I'll—" Her voice cracks and she runs up the stairs._

_And I am once again alone. Dying._

* * *

_Crack_.

My eyes shot open.

_Crrraaaccckkk_.

I started to panic as the crystal was embedded with vein-like fissures, starting from the original crease in front of my face. There wasn't any water in the decrementing cavern I was imprisoned in. I became aware that my body was curled up into itself, my arms crossed over my chest. The faint ache that filled every fiber of my being reminded me of the brutal pain I had spent an eternity in. I could not move for it seemed the crystal had reduced to fit tightly around my body, but not snugly enough that it was uncomfortable. Then I began to struggle to breathe in the small confinement.

I tried butting my head against the cracks, but the results were ineffective. The cracking still echoed, however, and the crystal cell started loosening. I pressed my knees against the faults that had spider-webbed through all of the parts of the crystal I could see, and was thrilled when a chunk fell out. I tried again with my other knee and was met with the same outcome. Now having more room, I continued this process with every inch of crystal my knees could reach until I was able to move my hands. I pushed against the crystal with all the strength I had, and the wall gave in, and I tumbled through.

Landing on my knees, I reached out with my forearms to brace myself from hitting my head on the ground. Crystal shattered and sprinkled over me, and the bits I had knocked out dug into my legs. I was like that for a while, trying to control my breathing, and my heart was pounding rapidly, resonating in my ears. I stared at the ground with wide eyes, exhilarated at eh realization that I wasn't dead.

In fact, I felt better than being alive. I felt like I could do anything. I felt fresh and new. But I also felt tired.

I pushed myself onto my haunches, rubbing my eyes. A headache pulsed, but the exertion it took to move took away the pain everywhere else. The room I was in was about the size of my bedroom, which the room was. Not my bedroom, but a bedroom. Everything was white like a hospital, however without the machines. Squinting, I found that a small bed was in front of me under a curtained window. I closed my eyes against the headache that intensified with the tiny amount of noise and light.

There was a scuffle behind me and I heard footsteps, but I couldn't focus on anything, let alone see whom the two hands that touched my back belonged to. It must be two different people, I thought, since one hand is warm and the other is cold.

I was hauled up onto my feet, my arms slung around necks. The person on my left was smaller than their companion, and had longer hair. A boy and a girl, I assumed. The girl let me go after they dragged my limp body a few feet, a rustle of fabric following her movement, and her cold hands reappeared to help the boy lower me onto the bed. Covers were tucked around me, and a set of feet walked away from me, but paused when the other person didn't follow.

"C'mon Yue. We've to report back that she survived chrysalis."

"But it's her, Kiran. I led her here. If I hadn't, she'd be—"

The footsteps moved again, closer to Yue who was still standing next to my bed. "We, Yue, we led her here. It's too late. She's here, and that's all that matters. If it hadn't been you, it would've been someone else. Besides, one way or another, this would've happened anyway. Better now than later, yeah? Don't beat yourself up over this. You haven't failed. I know you won't."

"I know, it's just—"

"Yue, don't."

There was a short silence. Yue's voice was soft and uncertain when she spoke again. "Okay."

"Let's go."

I slipped back into the merciful abyss.

* * *

I woke up standing the next time I opened my eyes. I was back in the circle of thrones, but all were empty except for the god in white and the moon spirit. I wished my grandparents could see me now, standing in the presence of a god.

"Sasha," Yue acknowledged me.

"Yue, what just happened to me?"

"There has been an ability inside you that has just been unlocked thanks to chrysalis. Because you are linked to the spirit god," she gestured to the being looking down at us. "And you have the ability to spiritbend which is something you will learn in the near future."

Staring at the mysterious deity, I wanted Yue to elaborate on the connection I apparently had to it, but it seemed she was tactfully avoiding that subject. "Why is its head covered and why doesn't it talk?"

"Spirit is present in all elements and that makes it the strongest over the others. But with that much power comes a cost. The spirit god is both blind and mute. Its appearance is obscured. This is to ensure equality and justice so that decisions are made without prejudice."

In a way, it made sense although I didn't fully understand how a decision could be expressed without speech. Yue turned her head up and Spirit nodded its great big head. Returning her attention to me, the moon spirit took a deep breath. "Now to explain why you have been brought here."

"That might've been good to start with before nearly suffocating me to death in a crystal prison."

"Yes, well, I control the moon, not the gods," I opened my mouth to respond but she spoke again. "Continuing on: the reason you are here is because before you and I were born, a woman empowered by Ahriman, the embodiment of all that is dark and evil, sieged against the temple with an army of corrupted spirits. The battle was horrific, one of the worst in history, and lasted for many hours. This is why this chamber, along with much if the rest of the building, has cracks and holes. Under normal circumstances, the Temple would have gone undamaged and we would have been victorious, but this was not so. The enemy was able to penetrate the Temple because one of the four elemental gods has become corrupt."

"I can see why that would cause a problem." In all honesty, I was bored listening to her. She wasn't the greatest of storytellers. Her tone was so bland and serious.

Her eyes narrowed, unamused by my comment. "The next cycle of gods to take the thrones is in place. But it is your duty to stop the Dark One from launching the physical and spiritual worlds into chaos because when the new gods take up their elemental mantles, the Spirit World will be weak from their inexperience and vulnerable. If the gods are defeated, the Dark One won't just have access to the world I came from; it will be able to have control over hundreds more. If you succeed in stopping it, you will have saved billions of lives."

Yeah, _that_ was encouraging. Every sixteen year old girl wants the lives of billions of people to be counting on her. This was an honor, truly. Thank you Yue, thank you Spirit God, thank you other people that aren't here. Wait, when did I become so sarcastic? Was I always this way?

"Okay, so a lot of people could die," I began, thinking it over. For me, some of those things didn't add up. There was no incentive for me. "But I don't know those people. I don't see why I should do it."

"If someone else was chosen, wouldn't you want that person to save you so you could stay with your family? You haven't even stopped to wonder if your home world is one of the worlds that chaos could come upon, haven't you?"

"Is it?"

"Yes," Yue confirmed. "Your family has only just escaped a life of constant fear and abuse. Will you put them back into that life again?"

She had a very strong point there. My family was important to me. If being the Gods' puppet meant saving them, then I would do it. They couldn't hate me anymore if I did. "So what do I have to do?"

An explosion erupted on the dome ceiling, creating a large gap. Through it came an ominous shadow creature that screeched when its red eyes landed on me. It jumped, long claws unsheathed and aiming for my head. But the Spirit God stood and swatted it down like a bug before leaning down to pick me up. With my suddenly fragile feeling body in its large grasp, the Spirit God ran, the huge doors to the chamber opening with a boom. Looking down, I saw many spirits running haywire and amazed to see past Avatars trying to ward off the shadows without their bending. Barrages of the creatures attempted to attack us, more specifically at me, though the Spirit God was deflecting them with some sort of glowing white shield that came and went on command.

It slipped into a room and closed the door behind us. The only source of light was from a square hole in the floor. Over the side of the hand I was in, I peered into the hole. Far below was land and water, as if I were looking down on a planet from space. To my horror, the Spirit God extended its arm, holding me directly over the hole. I struggled to hang onto the one enormous finger wrapped around my chest, savagely flopping around like a fish out of water to free myself and get to safety. My efforts quickly exhausted me and I stared at the hidden head. Despite knowing it was blind, it felt very much like it was staring back at me, trying to communicate that everything was going to be all right.

And then it dropped me.


	2. Paranoia

**A/N: **And so the change begins...Yep, she only bends spirit now. Reviews are always appreciated!

* * *

**Chapter Two - Paranoia**

_suspicion and mistrust of people or their actions without evidence or justification_

* * *

The air was ripe with the stench of rotting food and decomposing flesh. It filled my lungs and caused me to gag. As I tried to open my eyes, my lashes brushed against fabric. I ripped the cloth from my head, my breath becoming mist in the chilly air. Above me, hues of orange and red filled the sky. Lofty brick walls blocked the rays of the setting sun. Realizing I was on my back, I sat up and trash fell from my body. My face screwed up in disgust as I gingerly plucked a dead..._thing_ from my lap by the tail and flung it as far as I could get it. My clothes, a green tunic and darker pants, were stained and covered in grime. The alley was a dead end, and at the entrance people were blurs of earthy tones. I needed to get out of this stinking place before I passed out again.

With my prosthetic legs, I needed something to hold onto while I got to my feet. But there was nothing besides garbage that had clearly been thrown here for a long time. I would have to drag myself to the end of the alley to beg someone to help me up. I hated people. They would most likely scream and run at the sight of me before I got a chance to ask, and to me there was humiliation in pleading for a stranger's help. People were cruel, selfish, close-minded and unrelenting in their harsh words. I wanted to stay away from them as much as I could because I knew that if I stayed amongst them for long, I would begin to fight fire with fire to protect my mind and my dignity.

I flipped onto my stomach, prepared to shimmy along the filthy ground, but then I felt pain in my left thigh and...feet?

Sitting upright again, I moved my thighs, the one part of legs I was used to having. I could feel it. I could feel legs, real flesh and bone legs. With a speed I didn't know I possessed, I yanked off my boot. There they were: five beautiful toes. I did something I hadn't been able to do in a very, very long time. I wiggled my toes. And it was glorious. I poked at my calves, hidden by my pants, relishing in the feeling of the muscles contracting in response. I pushed up my sleeves and saw beautiful, unblemished, unscarred skin. I forgot how soft skin was. Raising my shaking hands, I touched my head and ran my fingers through long stands of brunette hair. This was so amazing, so incredibly wonderful! I was giddy; a giant smile stretched a mile wide across my lips.

I rolled my ankles experimentally, pushing my weight little by little onto my feet, ignoring the burning pain in my thigh. Then, with two hands braced on the wall, I pushed up until I was standing. My legs quivered from the exertion, or maybe that was just my nerves. Slowly, I took a step. And then another, using my hurting leg. But I couldn't. It was too painful to try to walk normally and my step turned into a haggard limp. I pushed down the left side of my pants, revealing cuts and a lot of blood. I casted a dark look at the sky, condemning the gods and whoever else was responsible for giving me a new body but marring it with whatever this was.

I spotted a stick and limped towards it, picking it up. I banged it several times against the wall to shake off bugs before deciding it was okay enough to use as a cane. Steeling myself, I prepared to come face to face with people, acknowledging that I would still have to ask them directions. The sky was growing darker and I needed medicine and somewhere safe to sleep and quickly.

A wheelbarrow nearly ran me down the moment I exited the alley. The man pushing it yelled at me for getting in his way but he never stopped moving. People were moving back and forth and I had to join them to get anywhere. Gulping, I dove into the crowd, trying not to make any physical contact. Such a task proved to be impossible. They jostled me, pushing me in all different directions without so much as an apology. Panic gripped me and I suddenly found it hard to breathe. This place was suffocating me. I had to get out.

Eventually, I was able to escape, but I hadn't gotten far from the alley. Barely a block. I shook my head, ashamed of myself and my fear of crowds. I was sent here for a mission and I would die before even leaving the street where I woke up. Fantastic.

There was a trio of older women chatting by the corner where two streets intersected. It took me a while to find the courage, but I was able to approach them and ask where the nearest doctor was. They looked down on me with pity and gave me two options, pointing down streets. Thanking them, I hobbled down another street until I came to the building they described.

As soon as I walked towards the door, the heavyset woman inside saw me and hurriedly strode with heavy steps my way. I thought she was going to help me inside, but I was wrong. She slammed the door in my face and closed up the windows.

I knocked repeatedly, calling out to her desperately. "Ma'am, please, I need your help!" It was now dark and less people were walking about. Most were shady looking and it fueled my urge to run.

"Go away or I will call for the guards! I won't have you hooligans scamming me again!" Before I could respond, I heard her loud footsteps fade away into the back of the building until she was out of earshot. Groaning, I pounded my fist once against the door in frustration. However, my thigh still felt like it was on fire so I couldn't give up just yet. I made my way to the second location, but it was dark inside and no one answered to my knocking.

Disheartened, I looked around and saw that the women were still on the corner. I neared them again, quietly asking if they knew of a place where I could sleep.

The youngest of the three greying ladies inquired, "Do you have money?"

I felt around my clothes in the slight chance that I had been given currency, but found none. The women shared glances before the youngest sighed, bidding goodnight to her friends. She walked down an adjacent street and I frowned, a bitter taste rising in me. It was to my knowledge that most old ladies were nice, and this one was just walking away.

But then she turned back to me, "Aren't you coming?"

My eyes lit up with hope. I certainly did not want to go back to that alley. She beckoned me to her and I followed as quickly as I could with my limp. Introducing herself as Jingfei, she led me to a building with many windows. Jingfei informed me that she and her husband Wang owned an apartment building, and that I was in luck because one of their tenets had just moved out yesterday. Upon entering the building, she went into a room and came back with a key. The apartment was fortunately on the first floor, so not only was it a cheap and undesired, I didn't have to try to climb stairs. She handed me the key, telling me she would allow me to stay for free but would evict me as soon as a paying customer wanted to move in. I nodded in understanding and we parted ways for the night.

The apartment consisted of a small main room with a barely equipped kitchen, an even smaller bedroom, and a bathroom. Even though the former tenets had left yesterday, already the place was coated in dust. They had been messy people too. Because in my world I had just woken up, I was not tired and decided to clean up my new apartment. Piece by piece, I removed trash and old food, scrubbed away dirt, and brushed away the dust. It was a slow and more difficult process with my leg, and fatigue seeped into my bones. I headed into the tiny bedroom and carelessly dropped my stick. Keeping my injured leg straight, I gradually lowered myself to the sleep mat. Sleep, however, eluded me, continuously dancing on the edge of my grasp before twirling away.

* * *

_I stare at the marble floor through the mesh of the cloth draped over my head as I try to force myself to stop shaking, gripping the blanket on my lap until my hands are numb. The shouting voices inside the courtroom I was sitting next to struck pure terror into me. I had never been in front of a crowd before. I had never known other people before. What would they be like?_

_"As proof of Seth Stern's vicious torture of his own children, I call Sasha Underwood to the stand."_

_"Ready, sweetheart?" the nurse that had been taking care of me whispers in my ear as I feel my wheelchair begin to move before I can answer. Through the sheet, I see giant wooden doors opening, and we enter the courtroom. Almost immediately there are whispers as people turn in their seats to stare at me. There's a giant desk of sorts at the other end of the room with a man wearing a black robe peering down at me, but I know he can't see me. The room swirls as my nurse turns me around, and once again I face the crowd of people. They are all staring at me, and now I can't control the shaking._

_With great care, my nurse takes off my gloves and slowly rolls up my sleeves past my elbow. The whispers intensify and I feel like there is a fist inside my stomach, gripping it tightly and trying to make it pop. The cool air hits me as the nurse peels back the blanket, and the whole room gasps. A wave of nausea blows through me, and I am certain I will throw up. Was it not common to see someone without legs?_

_And then, slowly, inch by agonizing inch, the sheet is lifted from over my head._

_And then the shouting starts again._

_"Oh you poor dear!"_

_"That's disgusting! How can her family look at her?"_

_"How could her father do such a thing?"_

_"That thing is not human! That creature is an abomination of God! It is a monster!"_

_A monster._

* * *

My fingers drummed rhythmically on my makeshift cane as I gazed upon the rising sun. I had managed to find a windowsill to perch on that gave a decent view between the buildings. Today marked a start of something that I didn't quite understand. I had no plan, no guide, not even the tiniest of hints to lead me in the direction I needed to go. After a long night of thinking, I had come to terms that I had a mission to carryout, and that the sooner I did what they wanted, the sooner I could return to my real home. Looking around at these Earth Kingdom people, I knew there was no way anyone would ever convince me that this was where I belonged. I felt just as much of an outsider here as I did back home, but my family was waiting for me and that made all the difference.

Jingfei emerged from the building a short while later, her old body cracking to the point I was cringing. Forgetting my injury, I hopped down, landing on both feet. Pain burned through my thigh, my leg giving out on me as I struggled to quickly support myself on my stick. I emitted a low groan through clenched teeth, knowing now without a doubt that I would have to further humble myself once more. It irked me but it had to be done.

I stumbled over to Jingfei, who had moved to a vendor selling fruits from a large cart. My stomach rumbled at the sight of food but I pushed it aside. I could go hungry a little longer but my leg needed medical help. Her back was to me, which suited me just fine. Inhaling deeply, I casted my eyes to the ground. "Jingfei, your hospitality is a miracle I didn't expect. However I still need help and I hope you could extend your generosity again and lend me a small amount of money so that I might buy some medicine."

Silence met my request. I waited several seconds more before glancing up, grey eyes full of hope. Her back remained to me as she bargained with the vendor over the price of several fruits. It appeared she had ignored me. My face fell. Even though I no longer looked like a monster straight from a child's nightmare, people were hardly any kinder. I turned to wall away, intent on returning to the windowsill to rethink on what to do, but bony fingers clasped around my wrist. I looked back, only to see a red and yellow sphere be shoved into my mouth. A sweet tasting juice coated my tongue, oozing from the fruit from where my teeth had punctured the skin. My hand was forced open and there were the distinctive clinking of coins scraping against each other as they fell into my palm. With the fruit still firmly lodged in its place, I stared with disbelief down at the coins, barely realizing that Jingfei was already walking away with her basket of fruit. Shaking myself out of my stupor, I called out to her, "Thank you!" I still received no reply, whether because she was hard of hearing or simply ignoring me, I had no idea.

Preferring to avoid the lady from yesterday, I staggered to the shop that had been previously closed. It was open, thankfully, the smell of herbs wafting from its windows. Inside were a young man and, assumedly, his grandfather who was assertively teaching the younger generation about the healing aspects of the plants in the room. The plants were certainly foreign to me, even with my limited knowledge of plants back home. To gain their attention, I cleared my throat. The grandson jumped and the old man offered me a friendly smile, causing a small shock of surprise to pass through me. I asked them for medicine that would help my leg and immediately the old man began snapping leaves off a nearby plant. After gathering two more types, the old man and his grandson went behind the counter. The man looked at his grandson expectantly, and the younger stuttered out the price and I handed over the copper coins.

The old man raised a prickly looking leaf. "Snap these and squeeze out the juices into your wound. This will...sting." He held up a small bowl of paste. "Spread this over to help heal and ward off infection, and chew this to alleviate pain." He showed me another bright green leaf.

I thanked them, forcing as much gratitude into my voice as I could. They bowed in the traditional Earth Kingdom fashion and I took a moment to study their form and learn the expression myself before returning it. With my parcel in one hand and stick in the other, I made my way back to the apartment, passing by Jingfei who again was chatting on the corner with the same two women from yesterday. She barely glanced my way, which miffed me, but I knew I shouldn't be.

Once within the relative safety of my bedroom, I carefully slid my bottoms off and dropped unceremoniously onto the sleep mat, left leg outstretched. I took the cleaned rag and started wiping away blood both dried and wet. As the blood came away, I quickly recognized the shapes the cuts took. The five symbols of the elements were carved into me. Starting at my hip was an intricate star symbolizing spirit, then fire, earth, water and air ending at my knee. Well, at least it wasn't sporadic, ugly cuts.

Cleaning my wounds unfortunately also reopened them and caused ruby droplets to begin oozing. Retrieving the prickly leaves from the parcel, I snapped one and a green hued juice dripped from it. The moment a drop hit, a piercing sound full of pain escaped my lips. It was as if I had touched hot metal to my skin and it _hurt_. As much as I really didn't want to, I forced myself to resume squeezing the acid-like liquid into the cuts, biting down on the collar of my shirt to keep from screaming. When I was done, I dropped my upper body to the ground, barely feeling my back hit the floor. My chest heaved. It was exhausting just dealing with the pain. I wasn't done yet though, and I hoped to high heaven that the salve stuff was nowhere near as agonizing.

I decided to chew on the pain relieving leaf first. It was bitter tasting but not completely horrible. Dipping two fingers into the gooey ointment, I spread it gently over the hurting skin, instantaneously thankful for the cool and soothing effect.

With that done, I pulled the half eaten fruit out of my pocket that I had stashed there earlier. I spit out the leaf and greedily bit into the apple like food, waiting for the pain reliever to come into effect.

So here I was in Ba Sing Se alone, broke, injured, lost and half homeless. I had to defeat the infamous 'Dark One', but where was it, and how in the world was I supposed to defeat it? I was weak and didn't have the slightest idea on how to fight. I didn't understand how they expected this stuff from me. It was so far out of my reach. Who was the one with the bright idea to take a sheltered, uneducated, leg-less sixteen year old girl and put the fates of a few million people on her shoulders? Give her a new body, that'll make everything better! I wasn't trying to be an ungrateful brat; having legs and an unscarred body was something I had dreamed about for years. Having that wish come true was something I could've killed for. Nothing could rival this. But seriously, why me?

I needed to find Aang and his friends. I'd travel with them and since they're at the center of the war, I should be able to find out what I need to do pretty quickly. Perhaps they'd be able to teach me to fight too. Then I would figure everything out from there. I nodded to myself. Yes, it sounded like a good plan. I just had to get to them somehow in the Upper Ring.

* * *

The railway station was packed with people coming and going and waiting. I stood at the entrance, watching the frenzy. I hadn't noticed it until now, but these people smelled like they only bathed once a week or maybe even less. Scanning, I located the ticket booth and started towards it, dodging all the people so no physical contact would be made. Though my mind made it feel like all of their eyes were on me, whispering, insulting, taunting. I felt small.

The line was long, but I managed to sneak in and steal a spot when a set of parents were too busy quieting their kids to notice me. After a few minutes, I was at the front if the line and asked for a single ticket to the Upper Ring.

The man within the booth looked at me quizzically. "Are you not aware how expensive it is to travel from here to the Upper Ring?"

I furrowed my brows, suddenly worried. "No? How much is it?"

"One ticket is fifty five gold pieces." I heard some gasps from behind me as he announced the price, my own jaw dropping as I glanced down at my meager copper coins. I had no idea what the conversion rate was, but either way, I was going to have to find a job or some other way to get a lot of money fast.

* * *

By midday, my stomach was rumbling with hunger. My search for a job was unfruitful and I wanted my next meal to be fruit-less. However, fruits seemed to be the only thing I could afford. I refused to ask Jingfei for any more money, and therefore I was most likely going to bed hungry tonight, which was something I hadn't done since my father was executed.

I was walking home from my latest interview when I watched two guards handcuff a boy much younger than myself while his mother begged on her knees for his release. There were hardly any onlookers aside from myself; most continued on walking like this was a regular occurrence. Their unwillingness to do anything sparked anger in me. Here was a little boy being arrested for probably no good reason and they were just letting it happen.

The boy's mother was sickly and pale as she grasped onto the robes of one of the guards. "Please, officers, let my boy go. I swear he won't—"

"Oh shut it lady," he snapped, shoving her away. "We've already warned you and your son three times. And now, we're taking him to jail where he belongs with the other thieves." Heavy hearted, I stood helplessly as the guards dragged the boy away from his mother. I wanted to speak up, do something to distract them maybe but no good would come of it. I didn't know how to remove handcuffs and we would surely both be caught.

Thieves, I repeated, the word echoing inside my head. I could steal food, and money. I could be a thief. Forget the employers who wouldn't hire me because I had no skill or experience in anything. It couldn't be that hard to learn to snatch money from people.

* * *

The woman who had denied me entrance to her shop had the misfortune of being my first target. I had picked her out of the crowd because she was heavyset and slow moving; revenge was simply a bonus. Her bulbous shape also plainly gave away the location of her money pouch, located on her left hip.

I took quick, short strides, trying to make my steps as quiet as possible so that she would not detect my presence. I inched closer and, using my body to shield what I was doing, I reached out.

Only to have a knife be pressed against my throat, breaking the skin. I followed the blade up to the woman's face, whose face was a startling red with her teeth bared in anger. _Whoa_.

With a short yelp, I backed up, raising my arms as if they could protect me. In my mind's eye, all I could see was my father brandishing his favorite pocket knife as my younger brother cowered, bruised and bloody nosed from a beating, the flash of the knife and a slash appearing on Ryan's cheek a moment later.

Out of nowhere, a hand wrapped around my upper arm and dragged me away, forcing me to run in order to keep up with the person. From behind, I could see that it was a boy with a green headband to keep the shaggy brown hair out of his eyes. When he led me into an alley, I immediately pulled back, trying to get him to let go. Following strange men into a dark alley was a no-no in anyone's dictionary.

He released me, raising his hands innocently. "Relax, I isn't going to hurt ya. The name's Kazu."

His grammar was off putting but he did save me from that woman, so I supposed he deserved some credit, but that didn't stop my suspicion. "Why would you help me?"

Kazu stuffed his hands in his pockets, peering past me into the street. "I saw ya tryin' to steal old lady Min Lei and thought I'd help out a fellow thief." He gave me a huge grin that revealed a few missing teeth. His face was round and a bit chubby so it was nearly impossible to tell his age. As he bobbed his head around, my eyes were drawn to dark ink on the side of his neck. A triangle overlapped a square with a swirl in the middle.

"What's that?"

He covered it with his hand. "What, this? It's nothing, just something I had done..." I didn't believe him, and he knew it and sighed. "I'm a part of the Thieves Guild. Yeah, I know, it ain't original. Name's a work in progress still. Anyway, this is their symbol. And they is also the main reason I wanted to get you away from Min Lei. Ya see, in order to move up in the ranks, you gotta recruit somebody to the Guild. And you is obviously a rookie by the way you tried to go about stealin'. Why you stealin' anyways?"

"I need food," I informed him and the rumble in my stomach confirmed it.

His eyes brightened. "That's why I started stealing too! I hadda feed me and my sis after our parents abandoned us. Though few years back my sis moved to the Uppers and renamed herself Joo Dee, and that's the last I heard from her." When he became sad, his entire body became sad along with him. His head and shoulders drooped, his arms went slack, and his knees turned inwards. But then he shook himself out of it and refocused on me. "How about I get us some lunch? I learned this trick from another guy in the Guild..."

* * *

Watching Kazu successfully infiltrate the kitchen of a nearby shop had bewildered me. When he was in "thief-mode" as he called it, it was as though he was an entirely different person. He wasn't awkward and clumsy like I had thought he'd be. Instead, he had been more graceful and stealthy as a person who had been practicing for years.

There was something about his character that made me feel like I could trust him, which was why we were eating the stolen food on the roof of the apartment building. At least from here, people could still hear me scream.

"Ya know, ya never told me your name."

I swallowed the food I was munching on and answered, "My name's Sasha."

"Sasha?" He seemed a bit perplexed. "That's a strange name. Never heard it b'fore. Maybe ya should change it, fit in more?"

I already knew my name was different, but I didn't know any Asian names to go by. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Do you have any ideas?"

"Well, my memory ain't that good but...uh, there's Saura, and Sumiko, Jiao, Keiko, Hua and..."

Upon hearing the name Keiko, it felt like someone plucked a chord inside me, stirring something that had been asleep for a long time. It felt like recognition. My mouth moved of its own accord. "Keiko. My name is Keiko."

Kazu gave me another grin. "I like that name. It means lucky or blessing. And you is lucky to me because I've been looking for a recruit for ages!"

A twinge of regret rippled through me because I had yet to tell Kazu that, from the beginning, I didn't want to join his Guild. I didn't need side distractions and obligations. The only things that were important were going home and how to get there. "About that Kazu..." He looked at me, dark brown eyes happy and hopeful, making it that much harder to tell him. "You're the first friend that I've ever had, but, I'm not going to join your Guild."

His face fell and he frowned deeply, staring into the streets below. Then he nodded, "Yeah, that's alright. Didn't really think ya would anyhow."

"I'm sorry, Kazu."

Awkwardness filled the following silence before he looked at me again, once more hopeful. "D'ya really mean that I'm your friend?"

"Well, yes, I think so," I didn't know what a friend was supposed to be like. "You did save me and give me food and you're actually nice to me."

He hugged me, an intimate action that caused me to be so tense I couldn't move to return it. No one besides my family had ever touched me, let alone hugged me. Thankfully, it only lasted two seconds. "Not many people is nice to me either. I don't know why. But you is. And to me that's awesome. So even if ya won't join the Guild, I'll be your friend too."

We shared a smile and resumed eating. The food, a variety of noodles and vegetables, was something I never had before, but it was good, a mixture of sweet and salty flavors. I was still hungry after I had finished it, so I picked up the remaining carton that was unopened. Inside were circular shapes of...something.

"Hey Kazu, what is this?"

The thief leaned over and began to drool. He plucked one from the carton and showed it to me. "This, Keiko, is sushi. It's pretty expensive and rare to have here in the Lower Ring, so we is really lucky! Go ahead, try it." Plopping his piece into his mouth, he chewed loudly. "So good..."

The noodles and vegetables had been different, but not this different. It looked raw, probably because it was. But seeing as Kazu loved it so much, how bad could it be? Hesitantly, I pulled one from the pile and went to take a bite, but my new found friend stopped me. "Don't bite it! It's gonna fall apart if ya do that and won't taste as good. You gotta shove the whole thing in your mouth, let the flavors collide, hear the crunch, taste the yummyfulness..."

Amused, I chuckled and then braved myself as I dropped the piece of sushi onto my awaiting tongue. Kazu eagerly watched as I chewed. It was a bit mushy, but other than that... "It's good."

Kazu cheered, letting out a victorious cry and helped himself to another piece. "Told ya you'd like it."

* * *

"Hey," I said a short while later, both of us holding our stomach from the feeling of being full rather than starving. We were laying on our backs, with him making ridiculous shapes out of the clouds and I listening to his ramblings. Hours had passed but I hardly noticed. "Do you think you could show me a few things about robbing people?"

"Sure," he grinned, getting to his feet and offering a hand to help me up.

Down in the streets, I followed him down a few blocks. "Never steal near where ya live. Don't want people recognizing you and talkin' about ya." I nodded, soaking up all the tips he gave me. One small mistake could land me in jail and that was the last thing I needed. Although while Kazu seemed like the type to break me out, it was too soon in our friendship to assume that.

"I'll show ya some easy styles first," Kazu's eyes were scanning the crowd. "The hard part in the Lower Ring is that these people is more used to and aware of us thieves and pickpockets and they don't often carry much money on them, unlike the rich. Rich people is usually easy because they don't think anyone would dare take from them. And they're more...what's the word..."

"Gullible?" I offered.

He nodded vigorously. "Bingo! That's it. They'll believe almost any story you tell 'em. But here, you has gotta be _creative_. Okay, I gots one. Now watch."

Kazu left me by an empty vendor's stall and nimbly worked his way through the crowd. Then, I saw the tip of his foot hook under the foot of a woman who lost her balance. Of course, Kazu was right there to catch her before she hit the ground. He claimed that she had tripped on a rock and offered her a smile as he put her upright. For a moment, she looked apprehensive, but then thanked him and quickly walked away. Kazu appeared at my side moments later, dropping a small pouch of money into my hands.

"Wow Kazu," I was truly and utterly amazed by his skill yet again. "I didn't even see you take it!"

The stroke to his ego was evident in the way he puffed up his chest and rested his hands on his hips, a wide grin going ear to ear across his round face. He bowed dramatically. "Thank you, thank you. There's another variant of that one: You could also back into the person."

Kazu turned back to the crowd again. "Always wait at least two to three minutes for going again so that you has a new crowd of people. You is going to be involved in the next one." He glanced at me, where I was tugging on the ends of my ponytail. "Nervous?"

"Yes, very much so."

Laughing, he said, "No worries, you isn't the one stealing this time. You is distracting the target."

"Distracting? How do I distract them? Do I trip them?"

"No no, just ask them somethin'. Like for directions or if they've seen your little sis." Kazu discreetly pointed, "See that tall guy with the hat and braid? Go distract him. As soon as I walk past him you can leave, got it?"

My nerves were eating at my speech ability so I nodded. I stood there and watched our target walk along, unsuspecting and completely unaware that he was about to be robbed and I was part of it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kazu roll his eyes, and then I was pushed forward. I glared over my shoulder at him and he smiled both innocently then encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the path of the lofty man. "Hello, er, sir. I'm, um, new to the city and was wondering if you know...a good place to go for...tea?"

His braid fell over his shoulder as he looked down at me. "Look, girl, I'm in a bit of a hurry here. There's a decent place right around the corner. Now if you'll excuse me—" My eyes were drawn to Kazu as he darted behind the man and disappeared. The man didn't even blink.

"Yes, of course. Thank you." I practically ran back, excitement and adrenaline pumping through me like wildfire. I didn't realize until much later that I had been in a crowd without hyperventilating. Back at the stall, Kazu was waiting for me. "Did you do it?"

He withdrew a bag from his sleeve. "Yep, _we_ did it. Congrats, Keiko. You is a real thief now." He handed the pouch to me. "Here. With all that, it should get ya through a few days' worth of meals."

"But shouldn't you take half? You did all the work."

Kazu smiled, "Naw, that's okay. I've got my stash back at the Guild. Speaking of, I should get back to them, there is a meeting tonight."

I nodded, sad to see my friend go. It had been hours since we met but it felt too soon. "Bye Kazu. Thanks...for everything."

Another hug took me aback. "It was no problem at all. See you around, Keiko!" Kazu saluted me, and took off running at a wall. I was confused at first, but then he ran up it, grasping onto the ledge and pulling himself onto the roof. Now that was cool.

* * *

A heart attack nearly struck me when I entered my apartment an hour later. A woman with long, stark white hair kneeled at a low table that had not been in my apartment before. A second meal was staged across from her. She was a picture of serenity, sitting properly while using chopsticks to eat rice from a bowl. Her skin was porcelain, almost deathly so. Her lithe body was clothed in a periwinkle medieval dress, the corset appearing to be painfully tight.

"Hello, Sasha," her voice was just as regal as she looked, deep yet soft at the same time. She commanded for me to sit, and I did so without question. The demand for respect poured from her, and anything less would surely result in punishment. "You were not told of my coming but time is of the essence and therefore I shall make my introduction short. My name is Zahia, and I am your mentor."

Finally, she looked up from her bowl, and I decided it was not her attire that was shocking. No, it was most definitely her eyes. They were two identical vortexes, constantly moving. Her irises were a pale grey, while her pupils swirled into the iris. I wanted to ask her why, but I decided to leave that question for another time. "My mentor?"

"Do not waste my time with your unnecessary repetitions. The gods have decreed that you must to have training in warrior aspects alongside learning to bend your element. Due to my particular repertoire, I have been granted the..._honor_ of teaching you all that you are required to know."

It seemed that my plan to learn to fight alongside Team Avatar would not happen. However, perhaps this training would get me to them faster. "What kind of training?"

"As you have already been informed, the gods awakened your hidden ability to bend spirit which was kept under a very difficult and ancient spell. You will train in this. However, because mortals do not know of spiritbending, you will keep the ability secret as to not draw attention unto yourself. Because of this, you will need alternate methods of defending yourself. To you I shall give teachings on how to use both a melee and ranged weapons." Zahia stood and came around the table to me. In quick movements, she grabbed my left wrist and forced a silver band onto my upper arm. "I must be going now for I have more pressing matters than explaining complex concepts to a child." Just as she stepped over the threshold, she carelessly glanced over her shoulder. "Eat your dinner before it becomes cold."


	3. Karma

**So for those who've read one or both versions of this story, what do you think of this new beginning so far?**

* * *

**Chapter ****Three****:**** Karma**

_Fate following as the effect of a cause_

* * *

Its shiny surface mocked me, the morning sun glinting heinously from it. Surely, it was judging me for my incompetence. My skin, however, cried out for me to stop, having turned bright red from irritation long ago. I was tired of this battle, but it was a losing one. Try as I might, I could not get the stupid silver band off my arm.

With a groan, I finally gave up. It just wasn't going to budge. I decided to leave the apartment to look for more job opportunities instead. Having a job and stealing would shorten the time it would take for me to acquire the fifty-five gold pieces needed to get to the Upper Ring. Another problem, I realized, was time. There wasn't much of a concept for time among the common people; they mostly went by seasons. For now, it was late winter. If I remembered correctly, the Last Airbender series was also organized by seasons. Winter was water, spring was earth, and fire was summer. Aang and his friends weren't even in Ba Sing Se yet, not for another month or two at least. I would need to steal a lot before then, otherwise I'd never have the funds until it was too late.

The morning sun was pale yet bright, and I raised a hand to shield my eyes from its rays. City life was still very foreign and very uncomfortable, but I had no choice: I had to adjust. People walked and ran to and from at all hours, and therefore noise was a constant. And the sheer _stench_ of the Lower Ring- I thought it had only been confined to the alley, but evidently this was not true. The awful smells of rotting food and body odor and death suffocated anyone who wasn't used to it, and the city buildings and walls trapped it. There was one haven from the smells however, and the sanctuary was known as the Market. It was an open-air market, stuffed full of stalls and people. Spices, food and clay overwhelmed the unpleasantness, but the amount of people tripled as they wandered from vendor to vendor. I found that I liked to stand back and watch the bustle, listening to vendors and their potential customers barter and businesses strive to draw attention away from each other. My mood turned sullen as I observed a family -a mother, a father, and two children- who were tired but happy and smiled with each other. My family should've been like that.

After walking a few paces away from the Market, I heard a thump and turned to see Kazu. He must have jumped from the roof of the one story building I was walking by. He held out his arms wide towards me, and for a moment I was afraid he was going to hug me again, but he didn't. "G'mornin', Keiko!" I wondered if he had a tank full of cheeriness somewhere on him that he used to be so upbeat all the time, but I didn't see one.

"Good morning, Kazu," I greeted with a small smile. "Doesn't that hurt your knees?"

He strode along beside me and shrugged. "Ya get used to it after a while. So what's the plan for today? Wanna break into some houses, steal some valuables and then go sell 'em?"

"No thanks, I'd rather just bump into people and steal their stuff that way. It's more, I don't know, casual that way. They're there with you and you're not awkwardly walking around their empty home. It just seems a little weird, you know?" In truth, as exhilarating as stealing from people was, I still wasn't entirely comfortable with it. It seemed I did have some moral code, as I had felt panicky since late last night. That was morality, something that made you feel guilty afterwards.

Kazu glanced at me, amused, and then I noticed that his eyes were scanning the streets and buildings several times over. I thought to ask what was going on, but he spoke first. "Sure. So then what we gonna do?"

"I'm looking for a job again."

"Again? I don't see why ya need a job when you is a thief now."

"The more money the better, Kazu."

"Well I knows that..." he touched his hand to his chin, thinking hard. A few moments ticked by and he snapped his fingers. "I gots it! C'mon, it's back the other way." Kazu grabbed my hand, tugging me along as I struggled to doge the crowd he dragged me through. I stared at our clasped hands as we moved, feeling a blush rise into my cheeks. The reason why he was so friendly with me escaped me. Briefly, I wondered if there were other people who were as nice as he was being. But then a darker thought crossed my mind: what if this was some sort of scam? He was a thief. Maybe right now he was leading me to my doom, and I was letting him. It was stupid of me to blindly follow a guy I barely knew around-

"Here we is! The Pao Family Tea Shop. I heard about this place yesterday. The owner fired most of the staff, so you should have no problem." Despite his reassurance, I still doubted that I would get the position.

The overall exterior was a bit shabby, but that was normal for buildings in the Lower Ring. A sign with Chinese scripture hung above the doorway, decorated by green paper lanterns on either end. I pushed the door open, turning back when I did not hear Kazu behind me. "Aren't you coming?"

Kazu shook his ahead, "Nah, I haven't had food yet. I'll find ya later, okay?" He saluted me, something I was beginning to recognize as his habit. It was cute. "Good luck, Keiko." He took off and I was left alone to hear myself be denied yet another job. My chances were slim but I supposed I should try anyway.

Stepping inside, the scent of gentle herbs met me. The inside of the shop was cozy with eight tables pushed into the guest area. Paintings of animal designs were hung on each of the room's walls, each artistry different than the other. There was a small area in the back where I could see a man rummaging around in the supply cabinets.

"Hello?" The sound of my voice startled him, causing him to hit his head on a shelf as he moved his head to look at me. I could tell he was old by the wrinkles and by the squinting of his tired eyes, perhaps in his fifties. His long, whiskery mustache reached his chin where he had a goatee.

"My shop is not yet open. Come back later."

"I'm not here for tea. I was wondering if you'd be willing to hire me."

Rubbing his head as he approached me, he said, "I suppose you've heard about me firing my staff...what position are you looking for? Server or tea-maker?"

The thought of me trying to make tea was amusing. From what I knew, it wasn't difficult to make, but I was sure to find a way to screw up. "I was hoping on being a server."

The teashop owner stroked his goatee thoughtfully and I tried not to squirm under his gaze. I was waiting for that one dreadful question that was the cause of me being denied everywhere else, that one question that made me resent my childhood even more, that one question that asked about my experience. I had none, and I didn't understand how I could gain experience when all of them wanted prior experience.

I wished the man would hurry and say no so we could both get on with our lives. I wanted to find Kazu. Just say it. Just say no. Reject me like the rest of society has. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I barely heard him say, "You're hired."

Nodding, I said, "I understand. Good luck with your shop." I turned and strode to the door, and then his words truly registered in my head. I turned back. "Wait, what? I'm hired?"

"That's what I said. I'm willing to hire you as long as you'll arrive on time every day and do what is required of you within a timely manner."

Embarrassed by my reaction, I was blushing as I walked back to him. He introduced himself as Pao. We discussed my pay and when I had to work, which started right about now.

Wearing the apron felt a little funny and useless, but it distinguished me as a server. Then again, I didn't really need that distinguishing; there were never more than five people in the shop at one time, even during the time of day when businesses are usually the busiest. It was nearing closing time, and so far I had only made one mistake: the first tea cup I picked up, I promptly dropped because of the scalding heat. Pao yelled at me and threatened to dock the price from my pay as I cleaned up the broken cup. From then on, I used a tray to carry everything. And other than that, the day was extremely uneventful and I resorted to counting the bricks in the floor to keep myself entertained.

I was cleaning the tables when someone entered the shop. "We're closed. Come back tomorrow," I told the person without looking up.

"Keiko," the voice sounded tired and weak. Finally raising my head, I saw Kazu leaning heavily on the doorframe. A black eye and a bloody lip marred his features, and he held a hand to his side. When he took his hand away, I was able to see that it was covered in red. Blood gushed from his side, darkening a large section of his tunic.

I dropped the cleaning rag and ran to him, taking his hand and placing it back over his wound. "Kazu! What happened to you?"

Through grunts of pain, he spoke. "Guild...was attacked...need safe...place need...help..." Suddenly his face paled dramatically and I quickly moved to hang his arm over my shoulders so that I could help support him.

The memory of when my father had shot my brother Aaron surfaced and I knew we didn't have much time. "I'm leaving! Have a goodnight!" I called out to Pao who hadn't even noticed Kazu. I didn't wait to hear a response before I guided Kazu out of the tea shop. He was disoriented and muttered random words that didn't make sense to me. Every few minutes though, he told me to take certain paths, telling me to stay away from the main streets. I gathered that he thought whoever had attacked him was still trying to find him, so I listened. Avoiding the main streets, however, meant it took much longer to get back to the apartment. Once there, I had Kazu lay across the table and then I took off to the healer's shop, hoping that it was still opened. I got there just in time, bought the supplies I needed, and sprinted home. The thief was unconscious when I arrived which relieved me. Having him be unconscious was merciful for both of us; he would feel less pain and I didn't have to hear him scream.

Rolling up his tunic to his upper chest revealed the two-inch wide stab wound. I swallowed back my panic as I stared. He'd already lost so much blood. He was going to die. I was going to lose my first and only friend. No, no he wasn't. I was going to help him, save him. Move your hands, Sasha, move fast.

Nodding feverishly to myself, I retrieved the herbs from my satchel, trying to remember the procedure I had used for my leg. Which leaf goes first? Which one do I break? C'mon think or he's going to die. Yes, it was that prickly one. Break it and squeeze out the juice.

My hands shook terribly as I held the leaf over the wound. Kazu jerked as the juice did its job, a guttural sound escaping his throat, but he did not awaken. The blood flow slowed at last and I wanted to rejoice, but I couldn't. Not yet. The worst part was next.

I had never stitched human skin before, only little patches on clothes and sheets. But I _had_ to. I couldn't let him bleed out. If he died, the guilt would never leave me, always there, haunting me.

Forcing my hands to still, I threaded the string through the needle. I blinked away tears as I punctured the skin. In that moment, I wanted to stop and cry. I couldn't believe I was doing this. Brenna was the medic, the one who did this kind of horrible stuff. But she wasn't here. No one was. It was just me and I had to do it.

Biting down on the collar of my top, I pushed myself to continue. Sticky blood coated my hands and the coppery smell invaded my nostrils. I couldn't comprehend how doctors and nurses did this for a living. I could never be one of them, and I hoped I'd never have to do this again.

Slowly, the skin came together as I tugged the string through. My work was crude, but it seemed to be doing what I needed it to. After inserting six stitches, I cut off the excess string using a sharp knife I found in the kitchen. I then covered the area with the poultice and lip and, with difficulty, bandaged Kazu's middle. With all that I could do done, I backed up on all fours until my back hit the wall and I sat there, crying as I stared at my blood soaked hands.

Lying on that table was the only person who had ever been truly nice to me for no reason at all. Even if I had my scars, I thought that he would still be my friend. He was that kind of person who simply didn't care. Sure, he was a thief, but he was a genuine person. Jingfei had done me some kindness, but she had ignored my existence since. It seemed irrational of me to attach so quickly to him. I guess I didn't realize how desperate I was for a friend because for so long I had impressed my mind with the fact that I wouldn't ever have one. Now I did, and two days later, he was dying on my table. It was like bad karma.

* * *

_"Leave her alone!" Aaron yells at the monster that holds my little sister by her neck midair. "She didn't do anything wrong." They are standing in the living room, Ryan standing behind Aaron in support._

_"She was sleeping on my couch. No one touches my couch!" Melanie's small hands grab at the fingers holding her, and she makes strangled noises as she tries to breathe through his tight grip._

_"It's just a couch. She was tired from all the work you make her do! She's only eight years old!"_

_"She needs to do some work to be able to live in my house." Seth squeezes her neck tighter and Melanie truly begins to panic, writhing in his grasp._

_"You mean the house you bought with our mother's money?" Brenna hugs me closer from where we stand in the doorway connecting the living room and the kitchen._

_"Why you little son of a bitch. How dare you talk to me like that," Seth's brown eyes are bloodshot and his black hair is shaggy like he had recently cut it himself, but now it just made him appear all the more terrifying. He reeks of alcohol and something else._

_Brenna gasps as Aaron punches Seth in the face. Seth drops Melanie, who scrambles on all fours towards Brenna and I, all of us crying. Ryan moves in front of us protectively, poised to defend but I knew Ryan is as just frightened._

_We watch with frantic eyes as Seth begins screaming expletives, but instead of trying to beat us, he yells, "I'm sick of you! All of you!" He withdraws something black and metal from a__ drawer__._

_A gun._

_Seth raises it to Aaron, and pulls the trigger._

_Crack!_

_There are screams. __Aaron __staggers and plummets to the ground in a pool of his own blood, a hole in his stomach._

* * *

Long after midnight, as the sky began to change to day, Kazu began to groan. I quickly got to my feet and stood over him, pushing him down when he tried to sit up. He tried to grin at me but stopped when he remembered his split lip. "Hey."

I shook my head. He was unbelievable. "You've been stabbed Kazu."

"I know."

"You almost died. For all we know you could still be dying. Does this kind of stuff happen normally?"

He craned his head to look down at his stomach and prodded the bloodied bandages, unintentionally making himself wince. "It hasn't been this bad b'fore. The attacks never was violent."

"So you know who it was then?"

"They is calling themselves the Crows. We only steal from people who have money. The Crows steal even from those who don't. They's bad. Real bad. And they wanna control the Lowers and that means taking the Guild down. Could I have some water?"

As he drank from the water I retrieved, I noticed he was sweating so I touched a hand to his forehead. This couldn't be a good sign. "Kazu, you're running a fever."

He muttered something under his breath and when I asked him what he said, he wouldn't repeat it. "Could I see the stab?"

Maneuvering carefully, I undid the bandages while he held himself up on his elbows. With the last layer removed, I looked up at the pickpocket and recognized the expression on his face as queasy. "You did okay on the stitches, Keiko. But...somethin's wrong. I'm...numb." Suddenly, his hand flew to his mouth and his upper body convulsed as he gagged. "Bucket?" I shoved a bucket in his hands as fast as I could and plugged my ears as he vomited. A hand brushed against the skin on my arm. "Keiko..."

I no longer could see the lively, jubilant optimistic boy I knew. Before me was a young man who was weak and sickly. The sight of him, so opposite of his normal self, forced my eyes to water. "What's happening Kazu?"

A millennium passed in the time it took him to respond. When he did, his words were slurred as if his tongue had become a stone. The numbness was spreading. "The knife. It must'a been," he inhaled deeply and shakily, struggling to get air into his lungs. "Laced wit poison."

Poison. Back home, we had antibiotics. We had trained doctors and nurses. We had the knowledge. I didn't think the Avatar World did, at least not here in the Lower Ring, and so my fear of Kazu dying doubled. It had to be my fault. I was the one who tried to clean the wound and close it. I must've done something wrong. I could've done something better. I must've not tried hard enough.

"Stop it," Kazu's voice cut into my thoughts. "Ya should learn not to show yer feelings on her face. It can get ya killed here."

"There is poison running through your body and even I know that's _nowhere_ near good. I'm allowed to worry, aren't I?" I asked incredulously, but also desperately. Our friendship, his life...it was all fading too fast and too soon.

"It's going to be fine, you'll see." Despite my protests, he slowly stood and asked me to help wrap fresh bandages around him. I did, but the atmosphere felt strange and quiet. As the minutes went by, I felt more and more like he was about to say goodbye.

Unfortunately, I was right.

"I got to go, Keiko. There's only one man I know that might help me, and I can't take ya there." I tried to ask why, but the stern look he gave me stopped my words in my throat. My mind was stuck on the word might. Someone _might_ be able to help. Kazu _might_ beat the poison. He _might_ live.

"Promise me you'll be okay."

"I promise," he said, but the hesitation was as plain as day. Tears pooled in my eyes. His face softened and he hugged me. This time, I hugged back, and I hugged him hard. "Everything is going to be okay."

Even as he walked out the door, I knew he had lied.

* * *

Night melted into day, and so did my hope into desperation. No knocks sounded on my door, and so I resigned myself to going to work without knowing if Kazu was okay. Many times, I found myself glancing behind me and on the rooftops, expecting to see Kazu. Once, I thought I saw him, so I chased after him and tackled him to the ground. But it was just a guy with the same kind of style, and so my spirits dropped further.

Work went by in a hazy blur, moving and speaking automatically. Pao tried to engage me in conversation, and I paid attention long enough to hear him speak about his family. His wife had left him for another man, granting him custody of their daughter and son who were both starting their own families. He spoke of them fondly but reservedly, so I assumed there were other family issues. He didn't tell me so I didn't ask, and I returned to my distant mindset. I glanced at the door so many times I thought my eyes would be stuck in that direction.

I wondered if he made it to the person he mentioned, I wondered if that person was able to help. I wondered if he was alive, I wondered if he would come back to me. I wondered if he would be the same, I wondered if he would be different. I wondered wondered wondered. I wondered every second of every minute. And the minutes were endless. It taxed me but it was relentless. My attempts to reason with myself proved to be futile. Not knowing would perhaps be my undoing. I wanted a definite answer; _yes he is alive, no he's dead. _I didn't want him to die. I had enough death and loss.

* * *

_Card playing was our attempt at trying to get into the habit of doing normal things that normal people did. Sometimes we'd play with actual chips. Sometimes we used food. We sit about a round wood table, music floating around in the background. Brenna is slapping Ryan's arm for stuffing an Oreo in his mouth when he thought no one was looking, and Melanie is flicking goldfish crackers at Brenna, who retaliates a moment after criticizing Ryan by chucking a chocolate chip cookie at her. Then suddenly Aaron is trying to stick Swedish fish to Ryan's face as Ryan is shoving a pretzel stick up each nostril and sticking leftover candy corn to his teeth like fangs. Once his little costume is complete, he taps Melanie on the shoulder, who turns around and shrieks as we all laugh. Melanie steals the whip cream from my hands and squirts it on Ryan's face and hair. He then yells at Mel for ruining his precious hair, at which Aaron makes a joke about. Ryan tackles him and they begin their usual hustle. My sisters and I are rolling our eyes at their boyish antics when we hear it: a__shriek followed by a baby's wail cut short. We surrender immediately to the protective instincts that had been imbedded into us over the years as we race up the stairs to Mom's__ room._

_Aaron throws the door open, and the bang created by the door slamming against the wall startles the woman standing over the baby's crib. She lurches away the crib with a gasp. My siblings and I storm into the room, expecting someone besides our mother to be there, but there isn't._

_Our mother looks seconds away from collapsing, her face pale and eyes wide with a crazed glint. The short strands of her hair are sticking out in every direction and she's biting at her fingernails. My brothers are supporting her by the elbows and Melanie is trying to soothe Mom's hair. I turn my gaze to Brenna, who bends to look into the crib, reaching in to pick our baby brother up._

_But her hands freeze and she backs away from the crib, tripping over a child's toy. Tears pour from her eyes as she shakes her head, refusing to believe what she just saw__._

_I tiptoe over to the crib, my eyes flicking between Brenna and the rest of my siblings. When I am standing over the crib, I look down._

_Baby __Liam's eyes are closed, and his lips are blue. There are red scratches around his neck. My hand shakes as I reach into the crib, hovering over his small, pudgy face. No air brushes against my palm. I move my fingers to his neck, but I feel nothing. Even though I am not fond of the baby for he cried when his innocent eyes gazed upon me, I feel dread fill me. Desperately, I take his tiny wrist in my hand, but no pulse beats there either. I am stricken with a horror I have never known before._

_"__He's dead."_

* * *

Night arrived but signs of Kazu did not. With nothing better to do, I paced aimlessly on the roof where I had been introduced to sushi. I needed good memories, and that evening was one. For now, it kept the bad memories at bay, locked in the vault I wished they'd remain in.

I blinked once, and I felt dizzy. I blinked twice, and the world disappeared. I blinked a third time and everything had changed. A stone Tudor style home was tucked into the woods. Before me, a small lake flowed, lapping at the thin beach I stood on. The water glowed orange with the sunset, so I assumed I was far from Ba Sing Se. I took off my boots and buried my toes into the sand, trying my hardest to lock the feeling in. Feeling sand between one's toes had been something I'd read about but never experienced, and people always said it was a good feeling. It was, in a way. A gentle breeze swept by and I eagerly breathed it in, suddenly tempted to sit down and enjoy the serenity forever. Here I could forget my family, my childhood, my problems, my mission, and Kazu. But I didn't know where I was or how to get back to the apartment, and I knew I'd have to go back eventually.

I turned and saw the ice haired woman from two nights ago sitting atop a boulder, her eyes closed and hands resting on her knees. Gone was her gown, replaced by black pants and long sleeves that were still from the same medieval era. She was so deeply in her meditating that I didn't think she knew I was there.

Immediately after I finished that thought, she said, "Good evening, Sasha." She did not move; she didn't even open her eyes.

"Um, hi." What was her name again? Something with a C?

"Due to the events of the previous night, we are now behind schedule. Your training will begin at once. Six nights a week you shall train unless other events occur. Understood?"

I heard her orders, but only saw the one in her eyes: _Obey_.

"Yes...ma'am?"

She peered at me, scrutinizing me for a trace of doubt; I was sure she found many. "I have lost several important papers. Look to the northern end of the lake," Well, the sun was setting directly across from me so that meant north was to my right. "There are three trees that rise above all the others. You will find my missing documents at their peaks. You are to run there, retrieve my items, and run back."

That didn't sound too bad.

* * *

This was very, very, very bad. I never knew trees could be so damn tall. These trees could easily be five hundred times the height of the average man and were thick with giant, bountiful leaves. Hybrid creatures scampered under bushes and from tree to tree. A squirrel with the mane of a lion and fangs that protruded past its lips paused in its journey, gazing down curiously at me with cat eyes as if telling me _I _was the strange one. The chill of the air prickled my skin and sensitized it further to the unfamiliar environment. Despite the monstrosity of the gruesomely twisted forms of the lofty plants and of the lurking shadows that grew longer with every passing moment, an odd serenity was embedded into the ambience. The opposite of city life, it drew from me a sigh of relief and contentment. Here, there would be no loss or struggle or panic attacks that had suddenly become increasingly prominent in my life. If I could buy a home here like Zahia had, I would without a second thought.

After tracing a path with my eyes, I grabbed a strong branch and swung my lower body up, wrapping my legs securely around its mass in a desperate hug. One branch after the other, my muscles struggled and burned. I was a runner, not a climber. My upper body strength barely existed and that weakness was definitely showing through now. As I climbed higher, my mind began panicking because I didn't know if I was afraid of heights too, and I had three giant trees to overcome. I resorted to not looking down at all.

Light streamed more clearly through as I broke through the canopy level with another twenty feet to go. Up here, the tree was more dead than alive. I could see the paper, impaled on the end of a dead branch, and I hoped Zahia wasn't expecting it to be in prime condition. I hefted myself into the branch on my stomach, and I began slowly inching along the length of the tree limb, reaching out every few inches to see if I could grasp onto the flimsy parchment.

The crack wasn't that loud. In fact, it was barely audible. But it was deafening to my ears.

I scrambled backwards, paper be damned, but my movement only made the situation worse. My fingers dug into the bark like vices as the branch broke, attached only by a small piece. I dangled, parallel to the giant of a tree, wildly looking for another branch to hang onto. But I was above the canopy and everything was out of reach.

And so, when the branch gave out and fell, I fell with it. My life did not flash before my eyes as I plummeted, the trees scratching and scrapping at my skin until I bled. I thought of only my death that rapidly approached and the peace that would accompany it.

As my limp body, resigned to its fate, crashed into limbs that broke in my wake, I finally thought of something. Two years ago, after having been exposed to the world, I had tried to end my miserable existence. I tried many different ways, but only because each time I could not bring myself to do it. I would not, could not do it, but that didn't stop me from doing risky things that had a high chance of killing me. In my mind, doing something that was dangerous would not be my fault if it killed me, and therefore it was okay.

At last it was happening. My salvation. No more pain, no more fights, no more strained family interactions, no more scars.

Wait.

Nothing about that made sense. My family wasn't here. I had no scars here. And I had a purpose to my existence here. I...I could be someone new here, someone without the life I had had up until now. I could start over and forget _everything_. Why die when there was nothing to run from anymore? I could do this. I could keep working, buy a real home outside of the city, and maybe even someday, meet a guy who could tolerate me and give me the love and attention I knew I had been longing for and marry him. I could be a better parent than mine ever were, and give my children the childhood I never had. I could be happy. I could enjoy my life.

I could live.

Finally, I let out a scream and flipped onto my stomach, glaring at the ground as it zoomed closer. An inferno of determination burned inside my chest, pumping adrenaline through my battered frame. With the last one hundred feet disappearing fast, I aimed for a thick branch and slammed into it. The impact drove the air from my lungs and the world spun before my eyes. I laid there, draped across the tree limb like a sleeping cat as I gaped over the knowledge I had just fallen nearly three thousand feet.

The paper landed in front of me. If it could, my glare would have made it burst into flames.

* * *

"Here's your stupid paper," I dropped the crumpled document on the ground in front of her. "You can get the other two yourself. Your little training exercise nearly killed me today so I'm done. Send me home."

Zahia still meditated on her rock, having not even moved an inch since I last saw her over an hour ago.

"Did you hear me? Send me back home." I repeated insistently.

One eye opened, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. The iris swirled, taunting me, waiting for something as if saying, _Say the magic word._

I gritted my teeth and ground out, "Please."

There was a small twitch of a victorious smirk on her regal face before the lake faded into darkness and I was back in my shabby apartment.

* * *

A day passed. And then another, and another after that. Every night I trained with Zahia, completing the errands she gave me that I soon realized were building my endurance. The tree climbing test had been to test my upper body, and a hike up a sharp incline for several miles was for my legs. Last night she had tied me up by my ankles on a tree. I could only go home if I reached for the blade she had placed on the branch I was tied to, which worked my abdominal muscles.

Every part of my body radiated warmly with pain, aching at every movement I made. But it only added to the ache I was feeling emotionally.

Loneliness was settling into my mind, planting its venomous seed. I had neither family nor friend. The tea shop had so few customers that even Pao himself left often. Zahia hardly said anything before she sent me away. Jingfei had already forgotten my existence and was set to rent out my apartment to someone else but didn't when I gave her money. I never thought that I would crave any social interaction, but here I was with a pain filled void in my chest that longed for a friend. I didn't want to be Melanie; I didn't want to take dozens of pills for dozens of things that were wrong with me. I knew these feelings could lead to depression, and that would likely hinder my training and how well I enjoyed my new life in general. But I lacked the knowledge of what to do about it.

So I floated through time, there but not really there, sinking further and further into a bottomless pit.

* * *

Snow flurries drifted from the gray sky one afternoon. Despite the cold, I had left my home with an extra layer on and discovered that the activity in the Market was rather unusual. A large crowd of people gathered in the middle of the square, and for the longest time I thought it was just some street performers. But the whispers I heard from my perch on the roof of a short building were not ones of amazement that accompanied yesterday's acrobats and sword swallowers. Today, the wind carried the sounds of horror and the word 'crow'.

The moment I heard it, I thought of Kazu and stood, struggling to peer over the cloth of the stalls to see what had the crowd's rapt attention. Soldiers began to work their way through the crowds, telling the people to go home as they did, and I knew I had to move quickly if I wanted to see before the evidence was destroyed. And that meant bodily contact with a whole bunch of people.

Taking a deep breath, I jumped from the roof, landing on a stall and then onto the ground. I fought with myself before forcing myself to push into the large mass of people, muttering excuses as I went. They let me through and a few even shoved me back. I shot scowls and expletives at them all because I absolutely did not want to be here, but my front melted away when I finally saw a glimpse of what it was. I saw a dark haired head, with a...with a band on it! It was Kazu! It had to be!

I could not hold back the smile that erupted. Again and again, I called out his name, waiting to hear his reply and his horrible grammar as I pushed more forcefully through the throngs. I was going to make him suffer for making me suffer this past week. How dare he come here first and not to me to at least let me know he was okay. Ooh, that big oaf, he was going-

He was dead.

The loneliness that had disappeared a minute ago came flying back and agony struck me hard. I fell to my knees, arms limp and my mouth frozen midway through saying his name. The crowd, as if sensing what was happening, gave me space, but at the same time, they alienated me. All of their eyes were on me as I cried. For the first time, I did not care that they stared. I did not hear their whispers. They did not matter. Kazu mattered, but he was dead. _Dead_. How? How...

Kazu's eyes stared back at me, haunted with a pain I hoped not to know. But they were a rotting white with death. An image of a crow was painted on the expanse of his face in black ink. The hair on the side of his head had been cut back to display the Guild tattoo. Blood was everywhere. And his head...

His head was impaled on a spike.

The message was clear. The Guild had been uprooted and any surviving members would be killed. The Crows were in power now, and their rule would be a bloody one.

The Crows were responsible for Kazu's murder.

A soldier forced me to my feet. There were only two of them, as the government did not care for what happened in the Lower Ring, but with them were two Dai Li. One of the Dai Li used his earthbending to rotate the ground, flipping the gory scene underground. They told the crowd to move along and forget what they saw, and it angered me to see that nearly everyone complied with the order.

The snow fell more strongly, and I wiped away the tears on my cheeks that were beginning to freeze. Blinking furiously, I finally looked up from the earth that showed nothing of what had transpired. Most of the crowd had already dispersed and stalls were closing. But a trio of men dressed in ebony shades caught my eye. The man in the middle, dark haired and pale, glanced from the ground and back up at me, a vicious smirk twisting across his lips. His eyes, though pale green, held cruelty in them. I narrowed my own eyes at him, and his look turned smug and his two lackeys mirrored it. I knew who they must be long before they began walking away.

The leader's collar moved just enough to reveal the tattoo of a crow.


	4. Armistice

**Chapter 4 - Armistice**

_an agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting for a certain time_

* * *

The city was something else when under a thick layer of snow. The smell was toned down and less people milled about. I had never seen snow before; where my family lived, both before and after my father's execution, was always warm year round. The clouds had moved out and now the descending sun turned the snow opalescent, sparkling every which way.

Shivering, I pulled my blanket closer, burying my face into the fabric. Even with my eyes closed, the gruesome image of Kazu's severed head haunted me, imprinted on the insides of my eyelids. I had gone to the roof after returning home to eat, but I quickly found that it was impossible to eat at the bloodstained table or anywhere within the small apartment. So I came up here to eat my steaming noodles and vegetables in the quiet, lonely cold. But by then, my appetite was gone so far that I could not force myself to eat. It was a waste of money and it would likely spark a lecture from Zahia because she had suddenly implemented a new diet on me. I had free, well-rounded meals everyday thanks to her, which certainly helped my financial situation and also with my lack of cooking ability.

But the fact still remained that Kazu was dead. I didn't know how it happened and my mind constantly tried to guess without my conscious permission. Perhaps the poison killed him, or the blood loss. Perhaps he was attacked again on his way to his friend and murdered there. Or maybe he ended his own life to stop the suffering from the poison. Or maybe it was my poor skills that had led to something else, like an infection, that killed him. Maybe it was-

I violently shook my head, forcing myself to stop thinking such thoughts. It would lead me down a dark path that I wasn't sure I could escape.

If my mind wanted to think about Kazu, then I should at least think about who did it. Those men at the market- they had to have some hand in it. They were there for a reason, and if they were a part of the Crows Kazu told me about, then they definitely had the motive, the means, and the cold-heartedness to kill him. They were the ones responsible, they were the ones who took my friend away from me, and they were going to pay.

* * *

Kazu's severed head appeared everywhere: at home, at work, in nightmares. It stared at me, accusing me of being the reason he was dead. So I fervently argued back, telling Kazu's ghost about the Crows. For hours on end, I made up possibilities and situations involving the Guild's rival clan. My anger, hatred and loneliness festered, an ever-present tight coil in my chest, until I finally snapped one day. I shattered an entire set of cups and bowls against the wall of the teashop. The two patrons in the establishment hurriedly left without paying, and the expenses of both the wares I'd broken and the customers' orders would be docked from my pay.

Even as Pao told me this, I hardly heard him, let alone cared. Kazu and the Crows had taken over my life. I had to do something about it or I'd never have a full night's rest again. These emotions I was feeling wouldn't go away unless I avenged the death of my only friend. I became set on this idea, fully believing the destruction of the Crow leader would be my salvation.

Once I'd finished cleaning the mess, Pao dismissed me and I was left with nothing to do but wander the streets. I tried to listen intently to every conversation I passed by, hoping to hear a mention of something related to what I wanted. But it had been a week since Kazu's head was put on display; already it seemed the people had already moved on and forgotten. My determination faded after a few hours, replaced with a strange nuance of hopelessness. I had entered a seedier section of the Lower Ring, and while I was anxious, I was not as fearful as maybe I should've been. After witnessing various crimes here, I had taken to carrying a short blade with me, tucked into my waistband. The blade had actually been a gift of sorts from Zahia, who had started me in self-defense training two days ago.

My stomach grumbled and with a little hesitation, I entered a poorly lit tavern. There was a small trio of musicians in the back corner playing a quick-paced tune, their melody barely audible over the booming voices of the men. There were a few women as well, either serving food or offering certain kinds of services. Not many noticed my entrance. Those who did only gave me a once-over before returning to whatever was preoccupying them. Their subtle actions meant that I was not worth their time, reassuring me that I would likely not become their victim tonight. I quickly maneuvered to an empty table, catching the eye of a server. She came over and since there were no menus, she rattled off the selections from memory. This was fine because had I been given a menu, I wouldn't have been able to read it.

She left with my order, dodging gropes on her way to the kitchen. Zahia would likely not approve of my selection, but I shrugged to myself and chose not to care. As I waited, I thought of my family and what had happened ever since the orb abducted me. Perhaps a clone had taken my place, or maybe they mourned me. Perhaps they thought I was kidnapped, or if I ran away. I wondered if Brenna went back to school to escape, if Aaron was able to take leave from the military to come home for my funeral, if Melanie had made any improvement, if Ryan was able to stay away from those parties, if Mom had finally resolved her conflicts with my grandparents.

If they missed me.

By the time my food arrived, I had counted forty-three people, one-hundred-twenty-eight cups and glasses, two bartenders and six servers. I forced my family to the back of my mind as I ate, and suddenly my ears pricked at the sound of the word I'd been waiting to hear.

"...Crows entering the tournament? If they're joining, then why would anyone else sign up? There's no doubt that they're going to rig it somehow. Well at least I know who I'm bettin' on..."

Approaching the two average men sitting at a booth, I gripped the edge of their table. "What tournament?"

They glanced at each other and peered up at me, and then they went back to eating, mumbling nonsense to each other.

"Excuse me," I said irritably. "I believe I asked you a question."

"There ain't no tournament. It's just a cover word for uh, ehh..."

"A baking competition?" His friend supplied.

"Yep, that's it! Our wives were complaining about cookin' all the time so it became a competition to see which husband cooks the best!" Under his breath to the second man, he said, "Really, Po? Couldn't do better than that?" Po shrugged, his sheepish grin showing several rotting teeth.

"Please, I need to know about the Crows and the tournament."

The man threw up his hands, exasperated. "See whatcha did, Po? You blew the cover to some annoying little girl trying to nose her way into tricky business." He slumped down, crossing his arms and looking about suspiciously. "You gonna get us all killed." I wasn't sure if he was referring to me or Po.

"No one is going to die," I said. "No one but the Crows."

Grim expressions fell over both as they glanced at each other yet again, seeming to agree on something. The man spoke in a low tone, as if what he was about to tell me was a secret. "The Armistice is an underground fighting competition-"

Po chortled, "Still think it's a funny name for a place where people bash each other to death."

The first man waved him off. "Anywho, there's a rumor that a few of the Crows- you know who they are, right?" I nodded. "They're going to enter."

"What about their leader? Is he going to as well?" I asked.

He nodded. "So the wind says."

Upon further questioning, they told me that the tournament was about a month and a half away and actually was taking place beneath this pub. I just had to walk in, simple as that despite being an illicit event. I thanked them shortly for the information, pleased with the new development. As I turned to go back to my meal, the man tugged on my wrist. "You're going to be quiet about this, aren't you girly? The Armistice ain't exactly...approved of, you see."

Grinning back at them, I said simply, "I won't tell." The man released my wrist and I returned to my table, planning and oblivious to the fights that erupted around me.

* * *

That night, I finally figured out that the silver band Zahia had forced on me was how she brought me to the lake. It warmed each time it was about to send me, so when it heated shortly after tucking myself into bed, I was not surprised to open my eyes and see Zahia on her boulder. The relationship between us had grown to be tense. I had questions and she was tight-lipped, causing tension when she refused to answer. The most interaction that occurred was her intently watching and criticizing my every move once I began using the knife.

The dynamics had to change if I wanted to be a proper fighter by the Armistice. A leader wasn't a leader if he wasn't more powerful than those under him, and at the moment I doubted that I would be able to take on one of his lackeys and win. I felt that the way Zahia and I were now was hindering my training. If we were at least amicable, it would be easier to learn. Of this, I was sure, but was she?

"Zahia," I began but instantly regretted it. I still didn't know what to say, so whatever was about to spew forth would lack the confidence and eloquence that would get through to her. "I think we need to talk about all this stuff." I winced, expecting criticism, but she remained unmoving. I took it as a cue to elaborate. "The way we are now isn't helping either of us. I get that you don't want to be here training me and I don't want to be here either, but the longer it takes for me to learn, the longer we're stuck with each other. So I guess what I'm suggesting is a truce. You'll put in more effort to teach -and some compassion and emotion and words in general would be nice too- and I'll put in more effort to learn."

"I know the real reason why you are proposing this 'truce'."

At her words, I deflated. I had already assumed she would not agree if she knew it was to compete in the competition. "But-"

"One cannot skip a stone without causing ripples in the water," she intoned. "I was once prone to the mortal desire for revenge as you are now. You cannot learn to choose otherwise until you feel its misfortunes, and therefore it is necessary for you to make such mistakes. I will train you with more compassion and effort," she recited mockingly. "But you must promise to remain studious to my teachings even after you have made your mistake."

Her insistence that entering the Armistice was a mistake provoked a deeply ingrained anger in me and I refused to believe it. Losing that passion would make me lose the fire that was keeping me going. At the same time, I wasn't sure that I wanted to bind myself to this enigmatic woman through a promise that essentially allowed her to torture me for as long as she desired.

"Before you decide to break the promise after the completion of your revenge, let me entice you further," I had not expected this whatsoever. She was a 'take-all-give-nothing' sort of negotiator, so to hear that she was putting another offer on the table surprised me. "At every pinnacle of significant improvement you display in areas of combat, I will disclose unto you an answer to one of your questions."

I blinked rapidly, not quite believing what she was saying. I was curious as to what had changed her mind, but I felt that I needed to act fast before Zahia retracted her offer. "Okay, yes. I promise to uphold my end for as long as you do yours, answering my questions fully and honestly."

Zahia emitted a low humming noise that sounded like approval. Perhaps she was proud of my smartly said promise. Though when it came to her, I was certain of nothing. "And I to you, Sasha."

Excitement bubbled inside of me. I was going to avenge Kazu and I was going to get the answers I'd been longing for. Tonight had gone much better than I had originally anticipated.

The sound of metal scraping against a scabbard barely registered before I dropped myself to the ground, narrowly dodging the sword that nearly decapitated me. Zahia jumped down from her rock, finally opening her eyes to look at me. I rolled out of the way of her sword as she slashed it down to impale me and got to my feet in time to avoid another swipe. Again and again, she cut through the air in front of me, forcing me back a step with each stroke. The fabric of today's maroon dress flowed with every motion, her swirling eyes intense as they caught and predicted my movements. Even though I knew she would not kill me, despite any scarcely hidden desire to, I needed to act and react like she was. If I defeated her now, I could get my first answer.

By changing her stance, I knew she was changing her approach. I took the two second lapse in relentless attacks to draw my own blade. The clang of metal against metal rang in my ears and I felt the vibrations travel through me, causing me to shudder. These random, sudden tests terrified me simply because she was terrifying and aggressive.

I parried her rapid blows with great difficulty; she was taller, stronger, and more skilled. Her sword was longer and made of a stronger material. In the end, I was entirely outmatched and entirely doomed. Attempting to pull the scrambled bits of my mind together in coherent pieces, I tried to formulate a plan of attack instead of blocking the sword seeking to cripple me. Even waiting for her to tire herself would be futile -my arms would slacken long before she started feeling weak. Then I saw it. A tiny gap between her repetitive moments was revealed for just a few precious seconds.

My foot never hit its mark. Zahia slammed the hilt of her sword hard onto my knee, sending shocks of pain intense enough to make me think she'd broken it. I nearly buckled when I returned weight onto it but somehow managed to remain standing. The only benefit from my assault was that now the chain of attacks was broken and I had more freedom to turn on the offensive. I countered, pushing down and away and quickly retracting my knife, aiming for her side. She parried it, of course, and we exchanged several more blows. Then suddenly, she dropped, sweeping her leg out and knocking mine out from under me. I hit the ground, and by the time the stars faded from my eyes, she had the sharp point of her blade nicking the sensitive skin of my neck.

"Dead," she said, and defeat filled the void where my first answer should have been.

* * *

Pao's son was a mean, narcissistic man and absolutely nothing like his father. Had Pao not told me the man insulting him was his son, I never would have guessed. The only quality they shared was being scrawny. Perhaps he'd inherited his cheap personality from his mother. His son, Yan, had sauntered into the shop around noon in a flurry of clothes, snootily examining his surroundings and refusing to touch anything lest it burn him.

"Hello, Father. I've come to check in on how you're...holding up. I see you're still stubborn about keeping this ancient, rickety tomb open."

"This tea shop has been owned by our family for seven generations. I'd dishonor my ancestors by not choosing to carry on this tradition." Pao's reply hit the mark he wanted it to apparently, for the corner of Pao's mouth turned up when his son's twitched down. It was safe to assume that Yan was supposed to inherit the family business but refused to. By the look of his clothes, he'd made his fortune elsewhere.

"I doubt the ancestors would mind of you burned this pitiful death trap to the ground. It's shameful." Pao's face turned stony and his son picked at dirt under his fingernails. "Mother says hello."

"Hmph."

"Don't tell me you're still sour about Mother leaving you for another man all those years ago," Yan's expression showed that he knew his father was still hurting, but he kept at it, rubbing salt into an open wound. "You know you could've kept her if you had just closed this dusty money pit and become a real business man like her new husband. She doesn't miss you, in case you were wondering. Neither do I, to be honest. I just pity you for making yourself suffer like this-"

Seeing Pao's eyes begin to glimmer, I slammed the rag I was cleaning the tables with down, the sound causing his stick of a son to jump in fright. I stalked toward Yan, shoving him hard towards the door. "Get out."

He sneered at me, and then he became horrified when he noticed the stain my dirty hands had left on his tunic. "Look what you did, you uncivilized mongrel! Father, you cannot let her treat me-"

This time I shoved him hard enough that he fell to the floor and I moved my apron aside just enough to flash the hilt of my knife. "Out."

The coward glared at me and got to his feet, emitted a contentious huff, and stormed out. I turned to look at Pao, but he had already retreated into the back of the shop, shoulders hunched and shaking over a cold pot of tea.

* * *

The collection of swords gleamed against the firelight, each one tempting me to grasp its handle and choose it. Sweat from today's rigorous training made my clothes slick against my skin. My stomach rumbled quietly as the scent of cooking food wafted past my nose. But my attention was not on the weapons or the meat. It was on the woman standing behind me next to the fireplace. Even without looking at her, she still made me anxious.

I never knew there were types of swords. Here, mounted on the wall of Zahia's cabin, were several types. One was a few feet long and thick. Another had a curved blade and another I recognized as a katana. They were all of varying widths and lengths, though I knew I didn't want one that was heavy or one that was too thin. The hilt on the rapier was especially flashy.

"Choose," Zahia commanded, her tone impatient.

My gaze returned to the katana. It seemed sturdy and not flimsy, and it fit with the culture of this world. I wrapped my hand around the grip and lifted it from its place, feeling its weight. Yes, I choose this one to train with.

I spun around, glancing to Zahia's face as if expecting some form of approval. Her frown was ever present and I don't know why I expected anything different. I wondered how far I would have to push myself to turn that frown even a little bit upwards; I wasn't sure I wanted to know what it would take.

I had mastered my knife skills enough that Zahia was allowing me to move on. Knives weren't her focus and swords were, but I argued that moving on from the knife counted as a 'pinnacle of achievement' and therefore, I deserved an answer. I had thought about it all through training -what question did I really want to ask first? Was I ready to know some of these answers? Now, looking at Zahia, her snowy hair orange in the light, I made my decision.

"Why were you chosen to train me?"

Her eyebrows arched in mild surprise. "Interesting. I expected a more self-centered inquiry." She strode towards the window, watching the remaining rays of sun disappear behind the trees. At that moment, I realized a section of her life's story was about to be revealed and I looked around for a place to sit. Then again, she'd probably think I was rude for sitting down without an invitation, so I remained standing.

"I have lived a long life in my few decades of existence. I lived most of it in a world much like what your world calls the Victorian Era, though we are further in technological advances than those of the Victorian Era were.

"Unlike your world, females are viewed as equals and I entered the military after my country fell into a war against itself. I rose through the ranks rapidly, faster than anyone my age ever had before. In the battle that ended the war, we were losing and our general was killed. I took command and turned the tides within minutes. Our side became victorious, and for my heroics my king placed me in charge of the entire military. I personally trained recruits and had a hand in every decision. Soon after taking the position, we won the war and I was known throughout my world..." She trailed off suddenly as if sensing she was going off track. She looked at me, the dark swirls in her eyes wild. "Eventually, I settled down somewhat with a man and had a daughter. Ten years after that, my life took a very dark turn that resulted in actions I regret to this day. One of those actions involved me doing something terrible to myself because I thought it would help me, but it only made me suffer more. More years went by suffering in damnation, until one day Spirit heard my pleas. What I asked of it was no easy task even for Spirit. However, it told me that it would grant me freedom from my plight so as long as I swear myself to it, serving it for the rest of my life. So when Spirit asked this opportunity of me, I could not refuse."

"So you're bitter towards me just because you've been forced to train me?"

"Your one allowed question has been answered. Now leave."

* * *

Soldiers, onlookers, and a menacing Jingfei awaited me after I returned home from work. The apartment was destroyed, and the soldiers were digging through the broken pieces and taking note of whatever they found interesting. The symbol of the Crows, seemingly painted in blood, was smeared across the wall. The shock of seeing it here in a place I thought was safe caused me to slacken and my fruit fell from my hand.

A soldier noticed my presence and approached me warily. "Miss, are you familiar with the Crows?"

"They killed my friend."

The vehemence in my voice assured him that I was not one of the murderous thieves and he relaxed somewhat. "Your apartment has been vandalized, and while their symbol is on the wall, we cannot be sure that it was the Crows. Is there any reason they would come after you?"

"I don't think so, no." Yes. I had continued asking around about them and the notorious organization, despite being well, notorious, had very little information about themselves on the streets. I'd identified two members and had been following them around their usual routines, but there was nothing of value that had yet to be discovered. The Armistice was still my biggest lead. But apparently, someone had noticed and now they were aware of me. That on its own was a very bad development, let alone the fact that they must have followed me home at some point.

The soldier asked a few more questions but my attention was not on him. If I had been here, I might be dead now. Or maybe this was originally intended to be a warning to back off.

The people filtered out slowly. Jingfei stayed behind, the last to leave. Her eyes held anger. "If something like this happens again, you will no longer be allowed to live here. Is that understood?" I nodded once and she held out her hand. It took me a moment to realize she was asking for this week's rent. Grudgingly withdrawing the coins and dropping it in her hand, I reflected on how I thought I liked this lady. She certainly was not as kind as she had seemed to be.

After Jingfei departed, I closed the door behind her and examined the apartment. There were holes in the walls, cabinets were stripped empty, the table was in pieces, dishes laid cracked beyond repair on the floor. The one window was smashed in where the vandals likely entered. Likely, I'd have to fix this myself and that meant spending money. Above all of it, I wasn't safe here. They could be waiting for me to sleep to come back for all I knew.

Even though I pushed my chest of drawers in front of my bedroom door and hid my knife under my pillow, I knew that this would not stop me. If anything, this only proved I was closer to my goal than I'd realized.

* * *

The clang of metal against metal rung loudly in my ears despite the opposing blade not being metal; it was shadow. The sword was literally an extension of the genderless shadow being's arm since it had no hands. I ducked as a second shadow attacked, its blade missing me and instead impaling his friend in the gut. The stab had no effect on it, except the light in a circular gadget in the middle of its chest depleted. The gadget showed its health bar, much like a video game. Once the bars were completely gone, it would fade away like it never existed. Zahia had started using the shadow people to train me the day after I chose the katana since it was apparently beneath her to do it herself. She possessed magic, as I realized that day, with a particular affinity over shadows.

From my crouched position, I swung my katana, which I had named Ragnarok, out in an upwards arc, the blade passing through the weakened shadow's legs. I jumped up as its form faded quickly, focusing on the remaining shadow. I had already vanquished at least a dozen today, and my muscles were sore and crying out for a rest. With a sudden burst of energy and the desire for food and sleep, I gave a small roar and hacked, with skill and grace of course, at the shadow, adding more and more force until it was unable to parry my blows. My katana passed through its neck and the shadow disappeared. I looked to Zahia, who sat watching me on her boulder, and at her nod, I went into her home to change out of the heavy, white, kimono-like gi I now wore for training and into my casual clothing. I applied an ointment to the scars I had gained over the last few weeks. They marred the skin on my arms, abdomen, legs, and hands. I used to have a cut on my cheek that I received on the first day of training, but constant application of the ointment had fortunately caused it to fade.

Getting them had chipped away at me with every one that showed up on my skin. I had spent so many years covered in them, being a monster up until over two months ago. I obsessed over even the tiniest of scars. I didn't know when I'd become vain. I just didn't want scars anymore. I didn't want to hide anymore. I wanted the freedom of being me.

Sighing, I put everything away, sheathing Ragnarok at my side and holding my stomach as I was sent home. The Armistice was in a week, and while I felt prepared, I also felt completely unprepared. Right now, all I wanted was sleep. I had restored the apartment, but it seemed to be cleaner than how I'd left it. I shrugged to myself, assuming that I'd cleaned it and forgotten I did, and turned towards my bedroom.

The leader of the Crows leaned against the wall by the window, a haughty grin stretching across his face. I worried that he had seen me pop in without using the door, but I realized his green eyes held remnants of sleep in them. He took a step out of the dark corner, closer to me, an obsidian pendant catching the light. "Hello, beautiful."

I ignored his obvious attempt at confusing and disarming me, and instead reached for Ragnarok. The next three seconds revealed a fact I was unaware of previously: he was fast. I had barely touched the hilt before his knife was at my neck. "So you're the pesky little girl spying on my people and bungling my operations," he used the knife to force my chin up. "To be honest, I expected more. What are you, fifteen?"

"What are you, twelve?" I snapped back.

"Ooh, feisty. I always love when my prey squirms," he said and I glared. His eyebrows shot up, disappearing into his fringe. "My oh my, I recognize you. You're the crying baby who wanted to kill me that wonderful day in the Market. Tell me now, was that you?" When I stubbornly refused to answer, he applied pressure.

I bit out, "Yes, it was me."

"Interesting," he snatched the katana and even my knife from where it was tucked in my boot. He unsheathed Ragnarok, examining it with a knowledgable eye. "Very interesting, Princess."

Unable to fight back, I stood there, hands curled in tight fists, glaring at the dark haired intruder and seething over his nickname for me. He moved Ragnarok experimentally, and my only thought then was that Zahia would torture me if he stole it. But he didn't, instead dropping it unceremoniously onto the ground along with my knife. Tapping his chin thoughtfully, he took steps toward me and I defiantly stayed put. "Now, what was the boy's name? Something wit believe...Kyu? Kerin? Kobe? Or perhaps it was...Kazu?" He glanced at me and his grin turned vicious. "His name was Kazu, I can see it in your face. Kazu Kazu Kazu. Poor little dead, headless Kazu." He laughed gleefully. "Oh, how lovely the anger in your eyes is. I like you, yes I most certainly like you, Princess. So much anger and ferocity!"

"You're sick!" I growled, the feelings he was describing fully evident in my voice. I spit, my saliva landing on his chin, and his expression went from delighted to terrifying. With an open palm, he slapped my cheek. I bit down on my tongue, trying to ignore the sting, and tasted blood. My breath shuddered out of my lungs almost painfully and turned my head to look at him again. His playful side had evaporated, and I now saw the young man who ruled the gruesome Crows with a bloody, iron fist.

He got in my face, near enough that I could feel his rancid breath ghosting over my lips. "How does it feel, huh? How does it feel to be so close to the Crow who murdered your poor little friend and not being able to get the revenge you've been hunting after for weeks? Hmm? I bet you feel frustrated, hopeless even. But most of all, I bet you feel angry, don't you Princess? Good good, be angry. Little princes and princesses like you always mess up when they're angry. Your friend Kazu, well he was more of a lowly street rat than a prince, but even he made a very bad mistake too."

"You made the mistake of killing him."

"Oh, you think so? Tell me, Princess, why is it a mistake?"

"Because I'm going to kill you in the Armistice."

A voice floated in from the other side of the window, sounding frightened to interrupt. "Master Nerin, sir."

Nerin roared in annoyance and pushed me back, stalking to the window and exchanging words with his lackey. Storming back to me before I could reach Ragnarok, he seemed to be less irate but just as irritated. "Well, Princess, it seems I have to go for now. I won't kill you today, no, you're far too much fun to kill you just yet. But I warn you," he stepped up against me. "If you keep up with your annoying hindrances, I will end you personally, just like your friend."

He exited with a dramatic whirl of his ebony cape and was long gone before I could go after him.

* * *

Nerin the Nuisance did not leave me alone, and he proved himself to be an annoying pest. He was in my apartment in the morning, eating a fruit. He offered me one but I refused, not putting poisoning me past him. Not one to be deterred easily, I sat and ate breakfast, wishing I could get to the weapons that he always managed to keep behind him while he attempted to rile me up.

He left for a few hours and then came back while I was at work. I asked him if he really had nothing better to do, to which he replied, "This is the best thing I could be doing, Princess."

My temper flared several times, which only egged him on. I begged Pao to kick him out but he wouldn't because Nerin was providing him more business in this one day than he'd gotten all week. Nerin had me constantly fetching every tea and food on the menu, but strangely enough, he never became cruel and almost never mentioned Kazu. He was simply teasing and pushing all the buttons he could find. And man, did he find a lot of buttons to set me off. He reminded me of my younger brother Ryan; they were both annoying just because they wanted to be. At least my brother was not a murderer. My fingers itched for the comforting weight of a blade and for that blade to be impaled in the chest of this man.

Four days passed. A new routine developed, one that started each day with eating breakfast with my enemy and then spent the rest of the day ignoring said enemy to the best of my ability. Thankfully, he left in time to not see my disappearances to Zahia's. All day long, he baited me, and I had given in just enough to reply with snarky comments that he only laughed at. I was his plaything, his source of amusement. I was the helpless mouse and he the predatory cat. If I strayed to far or did something he didn't like, one well-aimed claw would snap my little neck. I did not like being a mouse. I was already submissive to Zahia, Jingfei and the economy, but none posed the threat he did.

A concept I struggled with was imagining how I'd kill him. I struggled because it was getting harder and harder with every passing day to envision it. The images of his death had been so vivid in my head, but they were now slipping from my grasp as I became used to him. It irritated me intensely that some part of me was so desperate for a friend that I'd even make a companion out of him. Though every so often, when I stopped paying attention and saw him out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ryan. That hope made my heart jump until I realized it was Nerin, and I'd spend the next two hours in a gloomy mood. My chatty stalker noticed and prodded at me unrelentingly to know who he reminded me of, but I remained silent.

Two days before the Armistice, Nerin did not show up for breakfast and was absent from the teashop. It was all eerily, unnervingly quiet. He appeared the next day as if nothing had happened, though he moved his right arm gingerly.

"Where'd you go?" I inquired, trying to sound like I was making polite conversation and not because curiosity once again got the best of me.

He gave me a wide grin. "I was just away on some...business. Why you asking, Princess? Is it because you missed me?"

"Of course not," I spat, slamming his food and tea down in front of him. "Don't be so ridiculous. I can't miss the murderer I'm going to kill tomorrow."

Nerin shot up from the table, the scrap of the chair against the ground startling me. He pinned me against the wall with his body, and I searched the shop over his shoulder for help. But Nerin was the only customer, and Pao was in the storage room. Nerin leaned close, his long fingers tracing the shell of my ear down to my chin. "Now now, Princess," he purred. "Do you really think you'll be able to kill me?"

I couldn't give him an answer.


End file.
